Vaati of Voodoo
by Haayls
Summary: The Minish master, Ezlo, thought the best way to help his apprentice, Vaati deal with his trauma was a stress doll. It was after that when people starting dying of unknown causes. But it couldn't be the fault of Vaati and the "harmless" doll, can it?
1. Black Blood Spattered Everywhere

**Author Note:** Pico, everyone! ^^ I finally was able to put up the fan fiction I've been working so long and hard on: Vaati of Voodoo!!! Actually, I was surprised I was able to finish it during my spring break (I thought it might take until winter break of 2010), more or less finish it at all. But I did it! How do you like them apples, writers block?! D

I probably already noted this in my profile (or did I…?), please don't flame me if you highly disagree with/don't like something. Just say it nicely and we can all be one big happy family! :D

One thing to note: for those of you who haven't read Tales of a Forgotten Minish (it's one of my fanfics) this takes place three years after it. You don't necessarily have to read it to understand VoV, but when things come up about "the flood" or "Mollie Harris" come up. It's all in ToaFM. ;)

I might wanna warn you, this is my longest fanfic so far. So if you're like I am, and you're not really the bookworm type, just a heads up. Anywho, enough of me talking. Please read, review, and enjoy! =)

**Prologue**

**From Ezlo's Journal…**

It's been three years since everything happened to my apprentice, Vaati. Since I found him unconscious in the flood, since his mother died, since he lost his only friend in the world; Mollie…

I often worry about him. When we went to Mollie's funeral, he didn't cry at all. He just sat there, anger in his eyes. Rage waiting to happen. I tried to reach out to Vaati and get him to show his soft side and let all of his feelings out, but every time I'd put my hand on his shoulder and tell him it's okay to cry…he'd walk away and say nothing to me.

A couple days after her funeral…I had seen it with my own eyes: Vaati had fallen off the side of the book case. I remember it all like it was yesterday:

I remember screaming "No!" as I saw his foot slide off the side of the ledge. I wasn't too far away from him, and I grabbed his hand and he dangled there for a second or two until he looked up at me, with a melancholy face and dug the nails from his vacant hand into the one I was using to keep him from falling. I tried to resist the piercing pain as much as I could, but, alas, I am old and I could keep him suspended no longer and I unwillingly let go.

He had fallen such a long ways to the floor and I was worried as to whether he was dead or not.

I frantically climbed down the ladders on the spines of the books as quick as I could and rushed to Vaati's side. He was laying face-down, motionless. "Vaati! Vaati! Wake up!" I called, lightly shaking his shoulder and he didn't answer. Now I was really starting to worry. When I turned him over, he wasn't breathing. Luckily, though, he was still alive. The fall must have put a shock on his system causing him not to breathe.

After using a spell on him to get him to breathe again, I took him to the hospital and they told me he would be fine. He had just broken a few of his bones. I was glad to be able to breathe a sigh of relief, but…did Vaati…do it on purpose? I decided not to get professional counseling for Vaati because…well…I guess at that time I just didn't want to believe that Vaati had tried to kill himself. "He just lost his balance." I'd tell myself. "It was an accident. It wasn't attempted suicide." I didn't want to come to the realization that my own apprentice had lost all hope. That I wasn't able to help him. That I had failed him as, well, not quite a master, but as a parent…

But just in case, I pulled him out of school shortly after he started 6th grade and went back to home schooling him. Vaati just couldn't concentrate and his grades had been plummeting having everything that has happened. And the teachers aren't able to give him the individual attention that I can give him, which I believe Vaati really needs.

Now that I have him at home most parts of the day (I'll send him out to do errands every so often), I'm having him work on creative projects to help me understand what's going on in his head. Today, I asked him to reply with the first thing that came to his head when I said a certain word. It…didn't turn out very well.

************************************************************************

**Chapter 1 - Black Blood Spattered Everywhere**

The elder Minish clad in a flowing green robe sat on a stool across from his apprentice, who wore a violet robe.

"Alright, Vaati. This is a little quiz that will help me figure out how I can help you deal with your trauma. I'm going to say a bunch of random words, and I want you to tell me the first thing that pops into your head when you hear it. Ready? Let's begin…Home." Ezlo began.

"Gone." Vaati replied. Ezlo gave a look of concern, then continued on.

"Family."

"Dead."

"Sky."

"Rain…the flood that killed my mother."

"Clover."

"Clover."

"…You see, Vaati, the idea of the is little game is that you're supposed to say something different than me." Ezlo corrected.

"I know. I just can't think of anything else but "clover"."

"Okay, then…Mushroom."

"Poisonous."

"City."

"Humans, like the one that killed my father."

"Building."

"City, and don't lead me back to saying "humans" again."

"…Alright. Friends."

"Mollie…and I killed her."

"Vaati," Ezlo softened his voice and talked with a quiet, calming tone. "you didn't kill her. Her death was accidental. It's not your fault." The master hugged Vaati stroking his soft, lavender hair in a foolish attempt to make him feel better.

"Stop it!" The boy pulled away from his master and walked off. ************************************************************************

Vaati was up bright and early for his next lecture and then, finally, his daily stress-test. After teaching Vaati about how to make Picolyte, Ezlo brought out a stack of cards with random blotches of ink on them.

"An ink blot test?" Vaati made a face as if Ezlo were treating him like he was mentally disabled.

"Precisely. I'm sure you know how this goes. You tell me what you see on each of these cards. Now…" Ezlo held up one card.

"Dry, blackened blood spattered everywhere." Vaati watched as a worried reaction made its way onto Ezlo's face and he held up another card. "Dry, blackened blood spattered everywhere."

"Again?"

"Well, they all look the same!"

"Try looking harder. Tell me what else you see." Ezlo held up another.

"I…see…uhh…a shining rainbow with happy little children dancing in a circle!"

Ezlo looked up to see if he was being serious. Vaati's arms were crossed as he scowled at him.

"Is that what you wanted to hear?!" Vaati's voice was harsh.

"Vaati, please don't take this with offense. I just want to help you get better!"

"I don't need your psychiatric help, _Ezlo_! So what if I don't want to tell you about every damn thing in my life?! So what if I'm a private person?! You wanna help me? Don't!"

Vaati didn't walk away this time. Instead, he pulled his collar over his face and curled up in a ball on the stool. Ezlo had thought the worst of Vaati's outburst was over, but this was only until he heard a muffled scream come from his apprentice as he sat curled up, digging his claws deep into his knees.

************************************************************************

**Author Note:** Everyone enjoying it so far? =) It may not be too suspenseful yet, but it will be.


	2. Fare Thee Well, Master

**Author Note:** Next chapter, ahoy!

**Chapter 2 - Fare Thee Well, Master**

Vaati lied in his bed that night, tears streaming down his face. After finally deciding to get up, he made his way to one of the cabinets in the kitchen. There was a special cabinet that specifically held all of the potions, medicines, and tonics and Vaati rummaged through the cupboard. The bottles making light clinking noises as they'd hit each other.

He finally pulled out a small bottle filled completely with a black concoction and read the label:

Poma Richu

Active Ingredients: Deku Leaf, Mount Crenel Mineral Water, starch, Deku nut

Uses: Curing common cold, flu, headache, or stomach cramping

Overdose Warning: Taking more than the recommended dosage can result in serious health problems, including liver damage. In case of overdose, seek medical help at once.

Vaati sniffled, and wiped his tears with his sleeve. He clasped the bottle in his hand and hid it under his robe as he walked into Ezlo's office. The old master was closely observing the red jewel on the hat he was making. Polishing it off ever so carefully to make sure there were no scratches whatsoever. Even though the average person wouldn't care if the hat wasn't perfect, Ezlo had these compulsions that made him somewhat of a perfectionist.

"Hello, Vaati." Ezlo smiled, looking up from his work. "You're up rather late. Are you hungry?"

"No, I just wanted to borrow some paper." Vaati said as he grabbed a single sheet of paper and a feather pen from Ezlo's desk.

"Alright…Gonna write something?"

Vaati didn't reply, he just went back up to his room with the paper, the feather pen, and the Poma Richu potion.

************************************************************************

About two and a half hours after Vaati had gone to sleep. The Minish sage felt his eyelids begin to droop until he finally caught himself. Setting the red jewel for the hat down on his desk, he walked up to Vaati's room to check on his apprentice before he hit the hay himself.

The child's room was dark and quiet and the boy slept soundly. The overall silence of the house made one's ears ring loudly. Ezlo sat down on the side of Vaati's bed, covering him up and ruffling his hair, smiling at him. (Ezlo could only get away with this while Vaati was asleep, as he wouldn't normally let Ezlo ruffle his hair when he was aware of it)

Vaati opened his eyes a crack and stared up tiredly at his master. It was just then when the elder Minish noticed a sickened look in his apprentice's face. His eyes seemed pale and lifeless, his face was white as a sheet, his eyelids were dark, and his lips were a grayish blue colour. It was as if someone had sucked the very life out of the boy.

"Vaati, what's wrong?" Ezlo stroked his hair, concern in his eyes.

The once-full bottle of Poma Richu now set completely empty on the floor next to Vaati's bed and Ezlo picked it up and examined the bottle. _Is he really drowsy from this medicine? _The sage pondered.

"Vaati, tell me what's the matter. Are you sick?" Ezlo asked once again. Vaati didn't answer. Ezlo couldn't tell if it was because he was weak, or that he simply just didn't want to talk to Ezlo due to their feud that day.

He leaned closer to get a better look at Vaati in the dark. His face certainly did look ghastly. Ezlo heard a crinkling noise and he discovered it was a piece of paper--the same one Vaati had gotten from Ezlo's office. Ezlo opened the paper that was folded neatly into fourths, held it up to the window to read it in the moonlight:

Dear Master Ezlo,

I know I have been nothing but a burden to you. You probably have better things to do than try to figure out the way my mind works. It's not worth trying to figure out for it is just way too complicated. So that's why I am leaving you and the rest of the world. I'm leaving and never coming back. By the time you read this, don't strain yourself trying to help me; I took an overdose of Poma Richu and it's too late to change anything now. Don't even bother crying for me, because by the time you read this, I'll already be dead. Fare thee well, master. You were good to me. Sadly, I cannot say I feel I've been the same to you. Fare thee well, fare thee well.

~Vaati Picoru

After reading the note, Ezlo glanced at Vaati and watched the his eyes slowly shut. He gasped and covered his mouth with one hand. He knew Vaati wasn't thinking straight when he wrote the letter. Despite Vaati's wishes he picked up the small boy in his arms anyway and carried him off to seek medical attention.

************************************************************************

The elder Minish sat nervously outside of the room which the doctors had taken Vaati into at the Hyrule Town Minish Medical Centre. He had taken care of Vaati for only three years, but it seemed like he had known him all his life. The thought of losing his little apprentice who meant so much to him made his heart break, so he prayed to whatever supernatural force that may be out there "Please, please! Don't let my Vaati die!"

A Minish male who was dressed in a white robe with the red spiral (the Minish medical symbol) came out and Ezlo stood up. "Will he be alright?" he asked anxiously, partly stuttering from worrying.

"You are very lucky you got him to us when you did. A little bit longer and he wouldn't have made it, but he's alive."

Ezlo breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank heavens!"

"You can go in and see him. He's awake and conscious, but try not to over-excite him." The doctor stood to the side.

Vaati laid in the little woven basket bed covered with a green leaf as a blanket.

"Vaati! Vaati! Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Ezlo wrapped his arms around the boy. He felt a force against him, trying to push him away. Ezlo would have let go, but he found that he just couldn't seem to bring himself away from his embrace. One thing was clear: Vaati was angry with Ezlo.

"Why did you take me here?! Why didn't you just leave me alone to die like I asked you?!"

"You know I couldn't allow such a thing to happen. But Vaati…" Ezlo tilted Vaati's chin so he faced him. "Please, please, please stop doing this to me! You're not a burden to me, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me! Do you realize how upset I'd be if I'd lost you?"

Vaati didn't answer. He just looked away, angry.

"Vaati, I want you to look me in the eyes. Promise me you'll never try to kill yourself again!…Vaati, look at me!" Ezlo's voice was stern. Vaati glared and Ezlo lowered his eyebrows, then closed his eyes, and relaxed. "Vaati, please." Ezlo softened his voice. "Do this for me."

Vaati's blood red eyes looked into Ezlo's jet-black ones. "Fine. I promise."

************************************************************************

**From Ezlo's Journal…**

I was able to take Vaati back home from the infirmary a couple days ago. He attempted suicide. He tried to poison himself. I think I've now come to the realization that Vaati had actually meant for himself to die when he jumped off the bookshelf all those years ago. How could I be so foolish?! How could I be so naïve and allow this to happen?

I remember the first time it happened, I told him, on the off chance that he really was trying to end his life, to promise me to never do it again. And he kept that promise until he overdosed on Poma Richu just recently…How many times do I have to ask him to make promises to me for him to actually keep them? Does he not listen to me when I tell him what he means to me? Does he not _care? _aboutthe grief and sorrow I'd suffer if he were to die? I feel like there's a brick wall between my apprentice and I. He won't talk to me!

Anyway, today, Vaati has calmed down a bit more since and he was more willing to cooperate with me.

So, I told him to draw a house with a background. He painted a picture where the house had no windows (meaning that he didn't want to open up to me), the chimney had no smoke coming out of it (not willing to let it all out), and the background consisted of black and dark purple clouds and lightning. Based on what I know, (and you don't have to be a genius to figure this out) those dark clouds are not a good sign.

I figured that this week, I'd have Vaati create a doll to take his stress and anger out on. Just something simple. After all, better a doll than a real person, right?

************************************************************************

**Author Note:** …Or is it? I thought it rather unreal for Vaati to totally be over the death of his parents, Mollie, and the fact that he feels unloved due to his argy-bargies with Ezlo and not feel the least bit suicidal. And as they say, if they attempt it once, they most likely will try it again.


	3. Toja

**Chapter 3 - Toja**

Ezlo walked into his office where Vaati was sitting at his separate desk, ready for his daily lesson. Vaati was fiddling with his fingernails until he heard his master set a box down on the table.

"Good morning, Vaati!" Ezlo said cheerfully, hoping that this would get a smile out of his apprentice. Vaati didn't respond with words, he just slightly stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth as if to say "What's so good about it?!"

"It's a new week, so that means we'll be doing a new project! And that project is…" Ezlo reached into the box he had set down on the table behind him and pulled out some fabric and sewing materials made small enough for a Minish to use. "stress dolls!"

"Why would I want a doll?" Vaati scowled.

"It's not just any doll, Vaati. It's a stress doll!" Ezlo said enthusiastically, trying to get Vaati's attention. Vaati shrugged and went back to cleaning the dirt under his fingernails.

Ezlo continued talking, "We can do whatever we want with them! Punch them! Throw them against the wall! Take out all our stress on them! And that's why we call them "stress dolls"! You see?" Ezlo set the materials down on Vaati's desk.

Vaati picked the materials up and observed them. The idea _did_ seem rather interesting. "Can I burn it?" the boy looked up at Ezlo.

Ezlo paused. "Umm…I guess you could if you wanted to…But hey! Before you do, let me teach you some magic that will make your doll water-proof and fire-proof and resistant to mostly anything so you can burn it as many times as you'd like!"

Vaati smiled for once in a long time, but this smile, however, was more along the lines of a devious smirk.

************************************************************************

"And finally…you release!!" Ezlo whipped his hand past the doll he had made. A ring of fire had encircled the doll, creating a blinding blaze. When the fire died down, to Vaati's surprise, the doll was not affected. Not a single singe.

"Alright, Vaati." Ezlo began, wiping his forehead with his sleeve. "Now you try it."

Vaati concentrated on the doll he himself had made. It had long black hair made from frayed pieces of yarn, little red button eyes, and a black robe covering the doll's limping, ragged body.

"Pasaishi kupo yevedai! Yevedai! Yevedai!" A ring of fire also encircled his doll. It wasn't as powerful as Ezlo's but it looked like it could still burn pretty well. Much like Ezlo's demonstration, Vaati's doll also had no burns whatsoever.

"Wow, perfect on the first try! Nice job!" Ezlo praised. "Are you going to name your doll? Or is that just too girly?"

Vaati held his doll with both of his hands. "His name will be…" it had to be a well-fitting name. "Toja."

"…Toja? Are you sure?" Ezlo knew the meaning of that name. In the Paccist religion, which was the religion practiced by most Minish of the forest and the Minish World, Toja was the name of the devil.

Although Ezlo didn't believe that by simply naming a doll after the Paccist devil it would automatically become possessed, something about the idea gave him a chill.

Vaati made a grim smile. "Yes, Toja is the perfect name!"

************************************************************************

**Author Note:**If you're reading this note here, I've succeeded in drawing you in! Hip-hip hurray!


	4. Possession

**Chapter 4 - Possession**

It was already nightfall, the rain poured outside and the drops pattered on the roof of the library. Loud crashes of thunder were heard and had awaken Vaati. Horrifying memories of that terribly day in which he had lost his mother were coming back to him.

Ezlo was fast asleep, but his young apprentice was up and about. He lit the candle in Ezlo's office, thumbing through the books squeezed in the shelves mumbling one word to himself. "Voodoo…voodoo…voodoo…"

"Damn it! Where does Ezlo keep all of those magical studies books?! He couldn't have just come up with those spells himself!" Vaati muttered angrily to himself. He ran is right index finger across the spines of the many thick books sandwiched on the shelves.

The first time he had only skimmed through the selection, merely looking for key words in the titles such as "Magic", "Sorcery", or "Charms". But he was now on his fourth round of looking through all the shelves in Ezlo's office and not one of the books' titles contained anything close to those words.

Vaati sat down on the plush rug and grit his teeth. Then a smile came to his lips as he remembered something:

"That bookworm has more stuff in his room!" Vaati said softly, but excitedly. He got up from the rug and snuck into Ezlo's bedroom.

The Minish master slept soundly on his stomach, his face partly buried into his pillow. The room was pitch black and therefore, impossible to read the titles on the books without lighting some kind of light.

Vaati lit the candle for the room, hoping that Ezlo wouldn't wake up. A sleepy sigh came from his master's direction and Vaati jerked his head, looking at him, paranoid.

Ezlo had just turned over on his side, still sleeping like baby. Vaati turned back around and peered at the bookshelves. "Language of Ancient Minish", "Language of the Hylians", "Mathematics", "Magical Studies".

_Bingo!_ Vaati thought. He slid the book slowly out of the shelf and took it in his arms. The book was rather heavy. Heavier than Vaati expected and it slipped out of his hands and made a loud "BUMP!" as it hit the floor.

Vaati flinched, gritting his teeth and curling his fingers as he looked at Ezlo. The master's eyes were open slightly.

"Go back to sleep, Lazlo. I'm not your babysitter." Ezlo mumbled tiredly and closed his eyes. Vaati cocked his head in confusion, then smiled to himself. _That old geezer was still half-asleep!_

Vaati picked up the heavy book in his arms once more. This time, making sure not to drop it and risk waking Ezlo up fully the next time. The mischievous apprentice took the book up into his room and laid it flat on his bed as he flipped to the appendix to look up "voodoo".

************************************************************************

When the correct page was open, the boy read it:

Prologue

When using a voodoo doll, one must consider the many precautions of using one. A voodoo doll can perform acts such as harmless pranks (e.g. tickling, small punches), minor injuries, serious injuries, and even death. So think deeply about who you might be hurting.

Voodoo Instruction Manual Part I.

How to Use a Voodoo Doll:

The caster must think of the person they want the doll to possess and when the doll winks its right eye, the person the caster has thought of has been confirmed as a usable puppet. If the doll winks its left eye, the caster has thought of someone who is not acceptable to be used as a puppet ( i.e. someone who is deceased, an in-animate object) and therefore, cannot be possessed.

If the doll makes an angry face, it means that the person the caster has chosen to possess already owns a voodoo doll, and could put the original caster at risk for a backfire.

How Long The Possession Lasts:

Once the voodoo's spirit leaves the doll, it doesn't want to return. It always want to be inside a living body. To get rid of the spirit possessing the person, the caster must think of another person for the voodoo's spirit to possess. Otherwise, the spirit never leaves and whatever happens to the doll, happens to the person possessed until the caster gives the spirit a new body to possess. There are ways of getting the voodoo spirit back into the doll, but the consequences are dire…

WARNING: Do NOT think of yourself while using a voodoo doll. If this should happen, you will know when your doll makes a grim smile. Whether you have sewn a mouth onto the doll or not, this does not matter. The doll will make its own mouth.

If you are to accidentally possess yourself, you will not be able to use the voodoo doll to get the spirit out. You must give it to a new owner whom you trust well enough to actually give the spirit a new body other than your own. Until then, do NOT do anything that can kill you or disable you from giving the doll a new owner (example: sealing the doll's lips so you can't talk)

How to Summon an Evil Spirit to Possess Your Doll:

To summon an evil spirit, one must say the Chant of Toja until both of the doll's eyes blink. (This means there is a spirit inside)

The modern-day Minish translation means "God of death, goddess of evil, unholy Toja! Possess this doll by the name of (your doll's name) to do your evil deeds!"

Vaati read the Minish-world translation (the actual chant) and pulled Toja out from under his pillow and held the doll with both hands up in the air.

"Shopoi no toboi, shoroi no tovoi, ryu-po Toja! Paklu kupo shidou kaui da hime no Toja zo joki pakatu tovoi sila-pow!" Vaati chanted, holding the doll's ragged body. A loud crash of thunder followed a bright flash of lightning as he finished the spell.

The electric bolt of lightning attracted itself to Toja and lit it up with a blue glow. Vaati grinned, looking at the doll getting possessed with the power to hurt. The dolls red button eyes blinked and hint of evil laughter escaped from Vaati.

************************************************************************

**Author Note:** Uh oh, Spaghettio! :o


	5. The First Victim

**Chapter 5 - The First Victim**

"Good morning, good morning, good morning!" Ezlo smiled as he walked into his office, putting on a peppy attitude for his apprentice. Vaati smiled back.

Ezlo was a bit surprised. "Wow, Vaati has a smile! Alright, Vaati, we're going to start you on your geometry unit today. Do you remember what a ray is?"

"A stinging fish…thing?

"Well…yes…but that's not what I meant. What is the geometric term?"

"A line that--"

"Ah, not so fast! A line goes on forever in both directions. A segment has two endpoints. So we've got a line with no endpoints that goes on forever in both directions, a segment that had two endpoints and doesn't go on forever in either direction, so what does a ray do?"

"Umm…I…don't know, master."

"Just think back on what I said and use your deductive reasoning to figure out what I left out."

"A umm…Uhh…It…"

"Has one…" Ezlo goaded Vaati on. " End…"

"Point." Vaati finished.

"Yes." Ezlo smiled and nodded. "And goes on in one…"

"One direction."

"Forever, yes. Very good, Vaati. Now…" Ezlo turned around and began scribbling his hard-to-read chicken-scratch of handwriting on the board. "We've finally got that down, we'll move onto three dimensional figures and two-dimensional ones. If a square is 2-D, what is it's 3-D figure? Do you know?"

"Cube."

"Good!" Ezlo didn't turn around once. He just continued talking and drawing cones, cubes, and prisms on the board.

Vaati had Toja hidden under his robe and decided to take him out to test if he really did work. He looked at the doll and thought of his master. Toja winked his right eye.

"A cone is the three-dimensional form of a triangle and a circle put together. Think of it as if Mr. Triangle and Mrs. Circle got married and had a baby; this is what he would look like." Ezlo drew round, cartoon-ish eyes on the cone along with a toothy grin on the cone. "We'll name him Ice-Cream Cone!"

Vaati smiled lightly and rolled his eyes as he began to tickle the doll's left foot, then he looked up. Ezlo continued drawing on the board. Not too soon after, Ezlo lifted up his left foot and scratched the bottom of it.

_It could just be a coincidence. Maybe he just so happened to have an itch. _Vaati thought, then he tickled Toja's back. Ezlo reached his arm and scratched his back.

"Haha, I'm itching all over today." Ezlo said jokingly. Vaati grinned and tugged the doll's hair.

"Ow! Vaati, did you do that?!" Ezlo turned around, running his fingers through his long, white mane.

"Do what?"

"Pull my hair."

Vaati chuckled, "It must be your imagination, master." he tucked Toja under his robe. "How could I have pulled your hair from all the way across the room?"

************************************************************************

Voodoo Instruction Manual Part II.

The chant, "Shopoi no toboi, shoroi no tovoi, ryu-po Toja! Paklu kupo shidou kaui da hime no Toja zo joki pakatu tovoi sila-pow!" or "The Nerve Possession Chant" Only works on the internal organs of the body. (e.g. If you stab the doll, the person being possessed will bleed, but there will be no cut.)

************************************************************************


	6. Needle

**Chapter 6 - Needle**

Vaati walked into Ezlo's office at about 3:50 that day. Ezlo had taken a break from working on the wish-granting cap and was now crocheting just for fun.

"Hello, Vaati." he began as he looked up. "All done with your studies?"

"Yes." Vaati nodded.

"That's good. Could you do me a favor and run down to Pasty's shop to buy me some more yarn, please?" Ezlo reached into the pocket of his robe and set down 5 Pic-turtus on his desk.

Vaati took the money from the desk and slipped it into the pocket of his own robe then headed upstairs to his room to bring Toja along for protection.

************************************************************************

The short Minish boy entered Patsy's convenient store that was located in the walls of the human shoemaker, Rem's shop.

Vaati felt his stomach churn and his face heat up when he saw Cobra sitting on the counter in front of Patsy, smirking.

"Afternoon, love. What can I do for you?" Patsy folded her hands on the counter.

"Don't worry about this customer, sis. I'll take care of it." Cobra looked over at his older sister as she nodded and walked into the back room to check the inventory. Vaati mentally begged her not to leave him alone with Cobra, but he had decided there was not much he could do.

"Hello there, Vah-tee!" The dark-clothed teen's voice sent a chill up Vaati's spine. He could almost feel himself falling backward into the fountain with the searing pain in his right arm and left leg all over again.

"Some yarn, please." Vaati said bluntly, setting the money down on the counter. He was trying to ignore the fact that the leader of the gang that had nearly killed him was sitting on the counter right in front of him, while still keeping his guard up. _You better not try to screw me over, Cobra!_

"Alright, then. What colour and how much?"

Vaati thought for a second. Ezlo hadn't told him what colour or how much to get, but there was no way he was going to let Cobra catch him off his guard. He knew that's what he was hoping for. He was partly blaming himself for not asking Ezlo, and also, partly blaming Ezlo for not telling him in the first place.

Vaati spit out the first thing he could think of at the spur of the moment. "12 centimeters of blue. That will amount up to 3 pic-turtus and 75 pic-tatas, you know." Vaati reminded Cobra, hoping this would keep him from ripping him off.

"Actually, it's 7 pic-turtus and 75 pic-tatas. You see, there's a 4 pic-turtus employee tip included."

"That's optional and you know it! And I would never tip _you_!!" Vaati glared.

"Hey, chill out, Vaati man. I'm just doing what my sister told me to do." Cobra put his hands out, defensively. "But really, kid. It's 7.75. Cough it up or leave."

Vaati gritted his teeth, thinking about Cobra as he reached into the pocket of his robe and wrapped his fist tightly around Toja's neck, choking the doll.

************************************************************************

Vaati slapped the blue yarn on Ezlo's desk angrily.

"Mad about something?" Ezlo asked, without looking up from his crocheting, carelessly.

"Yes! You never told me what colour and how much yarn to get. Plus, you didn't give me enough money to pay for it so I lost 2.75 of my own money having to pay for it!!" Vaati snapped. He didn't want to mention that he had had to put up with Cobra there, as well. Although he could have easily killed Cobra through Toja, he didn't have the heart to kill one of his kind. It was too savage. So he merely just choked him (using Toja) for a few seconds; then let go.

"Oh, sorry about that, Vaati." Ezlo had a toneless voice, and he looked at the yarn on his desk. Vaati's cheeks were red, as he was very cross with his master. Ezlo noticed this and went back to crocheting. "I guess this would be a bad time to tell you I wanted red yarn instead."

Vaati glared and took a Minish-sized sewing needle from Ezlo's desk and pierced Toja's stubby hand.

"Ack!" Ezlo dropped the hooked needle he was crocheting with and stuck his bleeding fingers in his mouth.

************************************************************************


	7. Just a Migraine

**Chapter 7 - Just a Migraine**

It was difficult for Ezlo to write on the chalkboard the next day. His fingers were wrapped from last night when they mysteriously began to bleed while he was crocheting. So instead, he assigned Vaati some book work from Hylian History Volume 2.

As Vaati quietly did his work, Ezlo sat at his desk and squeezed his fingers to numb the flashes of searing pain. Even though there wasn't a gash nor a cut in the elder Minish's fingers, it felt like someone had taken a needle and scraped the bone. Just visualizing it made Ezlo shudder every so often.

Vaati set down his feather pen. "I'm finished, Master." he set the assignment on the large wooden desk and Ezlo picked it up with his non-injured hand and scanned his apprentice's work.

"Hmm…very good, Vaati. Except you forgot the part where the hero defeats Ganondorf's second form. It's really important that you remember that and also…" his black eyes skimmed over the page some more. "A comma needs to go after "therefore", you might have wanted to start a new paragraph here, aaannnd…you seem to have a run-on sentence at the very end. Otherwise, I like it."

"Damn it!" Vaati threw down his pen and scowled at Ezlo. "Nothing's ever perfect with you, is it, Ezlo?! You think that the only thing perfect in this world is you and every damn thing should revolve around you!!"

"Just trying to help, Vaati." Ezlo shrugged. "And please call me "Master Ezlo". If that's too long, then just "Master". Never plain "Ezlo". Thank you."

"And there you go again! Criticizing me about every little thing I do! I'm not perfect, and I know that! You don't need to rub it in my face!"

"I'm not rubbing it in your face, I'm merely offering you some constructive criticism. _Constructive!_"

"More like DE-structive criticism!"

"Vaati, you're being ridiculous."

"Oh, I am, am I?! You wanna know what ridiculous is, _EZLO?_?!"

Ezlo ran the un-injured fingers through his hair, stressfully but trying not to loose his temper. "Vaati, please. I'm already in a lot of pain right now. This is not something I really need."

"It's ridiculous that you make me do all your errands for you now and you always tell me to "figure it out myself" if I don't understand something! Whatever happened to helping your apprentice along the way?! At Mollie's funeral three years ago, you told me that if I ever need you, if everything seemed to go wrong, that all I'd have to do was ask for help and you'd help me! Whatever happened to that?!" Vaati raised his voice.

"I know you're still traumatized by what happened, Vaati. But you'll never learn to be independent if I hold your hand all the time. It's time for your training wheels to come off. I only want what's best for you."

"No you don't!!! You're just a lazy senile old man who uses his apprentice to do his chores and then later use him as a scapegoat when things go wrong!"

Ezlo frowned. He hated it when Vaati called him "senile". "Lazy" didn't make him as angry, but something about the word "senile" set Ezlo's temper off like a firecracker. It was times like these where Ezlo totally ignored the fact that Vaati's emotions were sensitive and Ezlo would be blunt and just say whatever came to mind without filtering what he said at all.

The Minish sage gave a livid glare as he stood up and pounded his bird-headed staff on the floor. "As for you, Vaati, you always think everyone is your enemy! That everyone is out to get you! When someone tries to help you, you just push them away! Practically biting the hand that feeds you! I have done nothing but care for you. Giving you every bit of love that my heart has to offer and what do you do? You tell me that I'm "not helping you" that I'm "using you as a scapegoat"! Well, you know what, Vaati?! I'm sick and tired of caring about your needs! My patience with you is gone!! I rarely ever say this, but Vaati, go to hell!!!" Ezlo took a huff of breath and sat back down at his desk to calm down.

Vaati was not pleased with Ezlo's outburst. As a result, he looked down at Toja, who was laying limp on his lap and slightly pinched the doll's head with the tips of his fingers.

"Ow!" Ezlo put his hands to his head and rubbed his temples.

"What's the matter, Master? Are you hurting again?" Vaati asked, trying not to laugh. For he knew very well what was the matter.

"Nothing…just a migraine, that's all. I must be thirsty." he said, weakly.

"Maybe it was because you were yelling at me so much." Vaati grinned.

Ezlo looked up and lowered his eyebrows at Vaati. "I don't think so."

_Don't agree with me, eh, Master?_ Vaati thought grimly as he squeezed Toja's head a little tighter. As a result, Ezlo clamped his head harder.

"Ohh…ow…"

"You sure you're okay, Master Ezlo?"

"Yes…" Ezlo make a slight, but quick smile. _We'll see about that._ thought Vaati, mentally chuckling. This time, he squeezed Toja's head as if it were a sponge in his fist. "AHHH!!! Ohhh…" Ezlo knelt on the ground, pressing his palms as hard against his temples as he could to reduce the aching.

"Master?"

"Uhh…Vaati…I'm…going to go lay down for a while…I'll take some Poma Richu to stop the pain…lecture adjourned…Ohh…" he moaned as he went to go lay down.

************************************************************************

Ezlo had taken some Poma Richu and had laid down on his bed. In the meantime, Vaati decided fiddle with the things on Ezlo's desk: pens, paper, books, random knick knacks. Vaati was still angry so he decided to play mini pranks on him such as re-arranging the books in his bookshelf so they weren't in alphabetical order (this would drive Ezlo crazy), misplacing things, hiding some of his valuable-looking possessions in places he would never guess to look.

After Vaati was done with his little scheme, he began to head in the direction of his room up in the attic, Toja dragging on the ground as Vaati held his hand. Since Toja's spirit hadn't yet left Ezlo's body, Ezlo was probably feeling like his feet were dragging and his arm was being tugged.

"…Vaati?" the master's weak voice was heard. Vaati entered Ezlo's room and he was laying down on his bed with an icepack sitting on his forehead.

"Yes, master?"

"I'm sorry for being so harsh earlier. I know that I can say some hurtful things when I'm under a lot of stress."

"It's fine." Vaati was quite to reply, but he still didn't really feel ready to truly forgive.

"And also…" Ezlo took some money off of his dresser. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I must have caused you went you made that trip to the store." he handed Vaati 5 pic-turtus.

"I only had to pay 2.75. I can't accept this much money."

"Keep it. It's my way of saying I'm sorry for snapping at you. You're a really great kid, and I want you to know that. I enjoy having you as an apprentice." Ezlo smiled faintly, Vaati returned it. _Well…_Vaati thought, looking down at Ezlo, _I guess I've put you through enough._

Vaati lifted Toja up and laid him down on his lap and petted his long black hair gently as he watched Ezlo doze off into a sleep.

************************************************************************


	8. Letter From the Minish World

**Chapter 8 - Letter From the Minish World**

A week had already past. It had been a pretty quiet week, Vaati decided to keep Toja locked up safely in the toy chest in his room. Since he didn't know who else he should dump the voodoo spirit on, he decided that to avoid hurting Ezlo by accidentally sitting on Toja or something of the sort, the best thing to do was to put him in a place where nothing good or bad could happen to him.

Since Ezlo's fingers were pretty much healed, he decided he was capable of teaching Vaati the Minish World's alphabet. The characters seemed pretty simple to memorize for Vaati as they were pretty identical to the human world Minish characters.

Vaati knew how to speak a little bit of Minish world Minish (which they called "ancient Minish"), but he wasn't fluent.

"Well, you seem to have gotten the hang of the characters pretty well. Let's hear some of that ancient Minish." Ezlo said.

"What do want me to say?" Vaati asked.

Ezlo looked off and shrugged. "Whatever you want."

"Pico! Tuma hime sai-rar Vaati. Tu sai-rar teisen lama-pow kaka."

"Perfect, my boy" Ezlo grinned. "Actually, Vaati. Speaking of the Minish World, I just received a letter from Madame Osono Picolotto of the Minish World. She used to be my apprentice when I was younger, but she grew up and mastered her own profession. She's a rather colourful character…different, but unique. She's invited us to come to the Minish World to study alongside with her and her apprentice, Maddy Paccolatti. Since you seem to know a fair amount of ancient Minish, and both her and Maddy know modern-Minish fluently, I was thinking studying alongside them would be a brilliant idea. I'm sure Maddy would be a nice companion for you since you hate having just me to hang around all the time. And I'd really love to see what my former apprentice has been up to all these long years. So, what do you say to that?"

"Okay," Vaati nodded, "As long as I can bring Toja."

************************************************************************

"So how do we get to the Minish World anyway?" the curious apprentice asked as he followed his master, dragging his suitcase on the ground using one hand as they ventured into the Minish Woods. His other hand was slid into his robe pocket, occupied with keeping a close eye (or hand) on Toja.

"There's a portal." Ezlo replied. "It's supposed to only open once every hundred years, but there are few Minish…ahem, me, for example, who know how to open it without the clock striking the hundredth-year mark…Oh, Vaati! Stop dragging your bag!" Ezlo scolded.

"Erm…sorry…just…" Vaati attempted to lift his suitcase higher up, but with just one arm, it was nearly impossible.

"Don't use one hand! Where's your other hand? It's in your pocket! It's perfectly vacant!"

"But I need this hand!" Vaati whined, taking Toja out of his pocket and holding him up to show Ezlo his reason.

"You don't need a whole hand to hold a doll! Gimme that!" Ezlo scoffed and snatched Toja from Vaati's hand, placing the doll in his own pocket.

"Wait! Master Ezlo!" Vaati made an unsure look. Toja's spirit was still possessing Ezlo and he was worried Ezlo might wind up hurting himself.

"What now!?" Ezlo scowled as he turned around.

_Well, if he gets hurt it's his own fault._ Vaati thought as he brushed it to the side. "…Nothing."

************************************************************************

The two Minish approached a large red oak in the forest. Vaati took a whiff of the smells of the pines and the mist. His home wasn't much farther from where they were and Vaati was temped to bolt off and go back home. Back to his old neighbours. Back to the daily market square that they held every morning in the center of town. Back to mother and father.

Tears welled up in Vaati's eyes, but he bit his tongue to hold them back. He didn't want Ezlo to see him crying. For he knew what would happen: the usual "Are you alright, Vaati?" followed by putting his hand on his shoulder, and after that, well…Ezlo would probably assume Vaati was nearing another suicide attempt and would go back to having his eyes never leave Vaati.

"Well, here we are." Ezlo said, staring up at the tree.

"…This is it? This is the portal between the human world and the Minish?"

"It's one of them. There are many portals. The more popular one is in Hyrule Castle, but this portal here will take us to a closer location to where Madame Osono is."

"It doesn't look like a portal to me. It's just a tree, smart one." Vaati believed Ezlo when he said there was a portal there, after all, Ezlo was barely ever wrong. But the boy just felt like pushing his buttons for a while.

"There really is a portal here. I just haven't said the magic words yet. Now…" Ezlo set his suitcase down and rolled up his sleeves and holding up his bird headed staff as he began to chant an ancient Minish spell, "Shopoi no tipo Picori, kagachi shi, halo pakatu ryu leika, tipo leika zo malali tipo Picori Nada."

A great, glowing white light blinded the two for a moment until the shape of an arched doorway appeared before them.

Vaati stood there in awe, staring into the bright light coming from the portal like a deer staring into the headlights of a car. He had never seen a portal to the Minish World in his life and Vaati never really bothered to read about them in Ezlo's collection of books.

"Come, Vaati." Ezlo commanded as he picked his own suitcase back up and began walking into the portal.

"Master…" Vaati stammered. "I'm scared." Seeing that light made Vaati think it meant he was dying.

"Of what? It won't hurt you."

"What if…there's stuff in the Minish World that could…harm us?"

"Are you afraid you might suffocate on the atmosphere or something?" Ezlo asked. Vaati pondered. He was mainly referring to animals and such, but whatever made Ezlo say that the atmosphere would be different made Vaati worry even more.

"Is the atmosphere different?"

"A little. It's a bit colder than we're used to. That's why I had you wear a poncho over your robe. Now hurry, slow poke! Before the portal closes!!" Ezlo said impatiently and Vaati followed him through the portal to the Minish World.

************************************************************************


	9. Mitten and Cricket

_Chapter 9 - Mitten and Cricket_

_**Thick flakes of snow fell gently from the gray sky of the Minish World. A crisp wind blew through the pine trees and the tiny mushrooms collected thick flakes of snow. Warm breaths escaped from two male Minish traveling across the frozen ground.**_

"_**Master, my feet are freezing!!" Vaati whined. **_

"_**Duh, I told you to put on your booties!" Only Ezlo's eyes were visible under his fuzzy blue and green striped scarf. Since he had been to the Minish World before, he was prepared with his Kelly green hat with the lime coloured puffball, brown booties to keep his feet warm, scarf, and an emerald cloak.**_

"_**You never told me!" Vaati wrinkled his nose.**_

"_**Well, whether I did or not, quit complaining and put them on!" **_

_**Vaati sat down on a rock and unpacked his red booties from his suitcase, slipping them onto his cold feet. His feet warmed up instantly and were able to thaw.**_

"_**We should be able to reach Madame Osono's pretty soon. She lives pretty close by." Ezlo said, looking off into the distant forest. "You might like the location of where she and Maddy live. In the forest. Kind of like you."**_

_**Vaati stopped tying the laces of his bootie and bit his tongue. Even the slightest mentioning of his past upset him for it was a very sensitive topic. He went through his suitcase and pulled out the picture he had of his family. A sudden memory came back to him…**_

_**A three-year old Minish boy woke up crying in the middle of the night and his parents came into his room to see what was wrong.**_

"_**Vaati, dear. What's the matter?" Mrs. Picoru, his mother asked.**_

"_**I had a dream…that you and daddy were gone and I was being taken from my house. I didn't want to go!" Vaati sobbed.**_

"_**What do you mean we were gone, kiddo?" Mr. Picoru asked.**_

"_**A giant human picked you up and took you away then mommy was stuck inside a water droplet and she couldn't get to me." **_

"_**It's okay, Vaati. It was only a dream." Mrs. Picoru reassured him, "We're never going to leave you. We're all going to stay together in this house as a family. Nothing will split us apart." **_

"**Vaati!…Vaati are you even listening?!" Ezlo's harsh voice broke Vaati's concentration.**

"**Huh?"**

"**I didn't think so."**

"**You don't think what, master?"**

"**I didn't think you were listening." **

"**Oh…no, sorry. I wasn't."**

**Ezlo grunted, agitated that he had to repeat himself. "I said: "Are you done putting on your booties?" We need to get a move on. Augh! As if you didn't have any brains at all!" **

"**Oh…yeah. I'm done."**

"**Good, now let's go. It would be rude of us to be late."**

****************************************************************************

**About half an hour of wandering through the forest, Ezlo and his apprentice approached a thick-trunked tree with a metal tubular smokestack sticking out from the side. The windows going up the trunk quite a way told them that there were many floors. Probably about nine or ten. **

"**Is this big place where she lives?" Vaati was stunned.**

"**Yes, this is Pekaloh Institute of Sorcery. It's run by Count Pukki Ricupa, a very wealthy noble and sorcerer who began it almost 100 years ago. It's a place where apprentices come to seek apprenticeships from the masters that live here. They live in large dormitories inside on the very top floors at night with their apprentices, then train their apprentices on the lower floors during the day. This is where Madame Osono lives with her apprentice, Maddy."**

"**Huh." Vaati simply said.**

**Ezlo shivered. "Let's get out of this cold weather and go inside, shall we?"**

****************************************************************************

**Ezlo and Vaati approached a wooden desk in the lobby of the institute. A petite woman of the age of 30 turned her attention away from filing paperwork and at the two Minish that walked in. **

"**Ko tu**__**chima paka?" The young woman had a high-pitched squeak to her voice. **

"**Ta, lito sai takada peka Picolotto Osono-ruma."**

"**Ah, ta. Pou hop halo." the woman smiled and went to back to filing. **

"**Ricipo." Ezlo bowed and began walking around the desk. "Come along, Vaati." Vaati followed.**

**Ezlo and Vaati walked down the hall, climbed stairs, followed another labyrinth of hallways until they came to a door. **

"**This is Madame Osono's classroom. This is where she gives Maddy her lectures like the ones I give you. Now, I want you to be really nice, okay, Vaati?"**

**Vaati scowled, "What makes you think I won't be?!" **

"**Just making a statement…" Ezlo slowly and quietly turned the doorknob, holding his index finger to his lips, telling Vaati to be as quiet as possible.**

**They entered a moderately-sized classroom. The desks were set up to all face-forward as if in a lecture hall. A woman at the age of 42 with long brown hair that partly shaded one of her black eyes and frayed making it look somewhat spiky stood at the front of the classroom, talking in ancient Minish, her back turned to Ezlo and Vaati, writing on the board. She wore a red and blue knit hat with matching tassels and a flowing black robe that Vaati noticed some of the masters walking around Pekaloh wearing.**

**Vaati assumed this was Madame Osono. Listening to the woman's lecture, back also facing Vaati and Ezlo was a preteen Minish girl. She had her blonde hair pulled into a single ponytail hanging out on only the right side of her head with a tiny pristine braid trailing alongside the ponytail. She wore no hat, but a fancy sky blue poncho over a lacey white dress. Maddy.**

**Ezlo quietly set his things down on the floor, tiptoed over to Madame Osono and watched her surprised expression as he snuck up behind her and covered her eyes with his hands.**

"**Nanika coco." Ezlo grinned. Vaati understood this as "Guess who."**

"**Uhh…Tido-puma?" she giggled. Ezlo uncovered her eyes and she turned around. "Ezlo-puma!!! Ami sai-rar paka!!!" She squealed with a voice almost as high pitched as the receptionist's as she hugged her former master. Her words translated into, "Master Ezlo!!! It is you!!!" Vaati found it somewhat strange that an apprentice of Ezlo's had actually **_**enjoyed**_** having him. **

**Madame Osono turned and looked at the adolescent boy standing in the back of the room, shyly.**

"**Sai-rar kapo pakatu ishiboon; Vaati?" she asked Ezlo, her voiced now sounded normal. Not as high pitched. **

"**Yes, that is Vaati; my current apprentice." Ezlo nodded. **

**Madame Osono walked to the back of the room and made herself eye-level with Vaati as Maddy turned around in her chair and watched.**

"**Pico, Vaati. Tu sai-rar Picolotto Osono-ruma. Tu sai-rar Maddy-m puma wal tu sai-rai Ezlo-m ishiboon teiseg lama-k hinto. Kaela-rar paka picaka-rar sai-rar Ezlo-m ishiboon?" **

**Vaati was only able to speak and understand basic ancient Minish conversations, but he wasn't fluent, and couldn't understand complex sentences with vocabulary words that he didn't know. So the boy cocked his head in confusion.**

"…**What?" he asked.**

"**Poi kaela py soyoko tupik kamoto Picori. Paka dante missäma oteru kin lido-k. Please try to use simpler sentences." Ezlo informed and Osono nodded.**

"**Oh, alright. My apologies, Vaati. Why don't I just talk in modern Minish, ya?" the woman had a slight accent. She turned to Maddy, "Cricket, we are talking in human-Minish now." **

"**Yes, Osono-Madame…me means, Madame Osono." she got up from her wooden stool and came over to greet Ezlo and Vaati.**

"**Say "hello", Cricket." Madame Osono urged.**

" "**Hello, Cricket." " Maddy giggled.**

**Ezlo smiled at her sense of humour, Vaati just found it irritating.**

**Maddy continued. "Me is Maddy Paccolatti, but Madame Osono call me Cricket because me is hoppity like a cricket. Me is Madame Osono's girl-apprentice. Is very good to meet you." the girl had a strong accent and bad grammar to top it off.**

"**Hello, Cricket. My name is Master Ezlo Wood and this is my apprentice, Vaati Picoru. He's thirteen, just like you'll be pretty soon." **

**Maddy--Cricket jumped up and down excitedly, her ponytail wagging. "Ya! Ya! Cricket will be tirteen [thirteen] in December!" She reminded Vaati of a young child anxiously waiting for their birthday. Unfortunately for Vaati, ever since his mother died, he hadn't been that anxious child. Ezlo didn't shower him with gifts like his mother and father did and it was one of the myriad of things that Vaati missed.**

"**And Vaati, this is Madame Osono Picolotto. She was my apprentice many, many years ago during the time I was living in the Minish World. She finished her apprenticeship and became a master, too." Ezlo turned to Madame Osono, "Hah, remember how I nicknamed you "Mitten" because you'd always sleep in that navy blue mitten I brought from the human world?"**

"**Oh yes. I remember. And that it actually why I did the liberty of nicknaming my own apprentice."**

"**Yeah…you used that mitten even though you could have used a makeshift…"**

"**But mittens are so warm! I don't see why humans don't wear them all the time."**

"**The human world isn't constantly cold like the Minish world, Mitten. Remember that." Ezlo corrected. He always did.**

"**Right, right."**

"**Anyway," Ezlo continued, "we'll be staying with them for the time being. Vaati, you'll sleep in Maddy's--"**

"**Cricket." corrected Cricket.**

"…**Cricket…" it took a while to register in Ezlo's brain, "Cricket's room with her…Mitten, where will I sleep?"**

"**In the parlor...and in, dare I say it? A mitten."**

"**Of course." Ezlo smiled and rolled his eyes at Mitten's nonsense. "Well, it's getting late. Vaati and I are bushed from walking."**

"**Let Cricket help you wit [with] your stuff, Vaati!" Cricket tugged Vaati's arm and grinned at him. Vaati flinched when she did this because she was just inches away from Toja.**

****************************************************************************


	10. Cricket's Cling

**Chapter 10 - Cricket's Cling**

Vaati scanned the room where he and Cricket were going to be sleeping. He expected to be sleeping in a makeshift mitten like Ezlo.

"Okay, so where do I sleep?" Vaati asked.

"In teh bed with me." Cricket giggled.

Vaati gulped, ever since Mollie's death, he had always felt like he was…betraying Mollie when he hung around another girl. And he didn't know if it was just his imagination, but Cricket seemed to have taken a quick liking to him.

"…Are you sure?" he wanted to be absolutely sure that there wasn't a makeshift mitten or bed that Cricket was forgetting about. "I'm not sleeping on a makeshift? You don't have any extra pillows or blankets? I could just lay down on the floor. I really don't mind." Just then, he realized the floor was extremely cold. He mentally regretting offering to sleep on the floor, then took it back. He would much rather sleep on the cold floor than with Cricket.

"No, me has noting [nothing] like tat [that] for you." That was another thing: her talking. Vaati just couldn't stand it. Why couldn't she at least talk like her master? Was it really that hard to speak modern Minish? Didn't Mitten teach her anything?

"You mean "_You_ don't have _anything_ like _that_ for _me_."."

"Yes, tat is what I say to you. Are you not tired?"

"I'm very tired. I just don't think it's necessary for us to share a bed. I'm uh…" Vaati figured making an excuse would get him out of it. "I'm claustrophobic."

"Do not worry. Me does not take up very much space."

"I also have morning breath and Ezlo tells me I sound like a pig giving birth when I snore." That should gross any girl out.

The peppy girl laughed, "Is you trying to make up excuses not to sleep? Even if not, me don't mind about all tat stuff. Me is very tolerant."

Vaati was about to put up an argument, but his eyelids were heavy and he was too tired to do so.

So the boy made a light sigh, "Fine." and climbed into bed, tucking Toja securely under his arm.

************************************************************************

"So, what do you kids say?" Mitten asked. "How does competing in the Pekaloh Games sound to you?"

Vaati shrugged, neutrally, "I don't care. Whatever you want."

Cricket was a little more enthusiastic, "Ooh! Tu shonen-rar da Pekaloh masumo-k! Tu sho--"

"Modern, dear." Mitten interrupted.

"I sorry. Just so excite."

"Now, I know Mitten and Cricket have competed in these games before and so have I when Mitten was my apprentice. But Vaati's new to this, so listen up, kid." Ezlo began, "The Pekaloh Games are held once every year in the Minish World. It's when all the Minish masters and their apprentices work together and compete against other masters with their apprentices and so on and so forth. The competition consists of three components: magic skills, physical strength, and mental strategies. Everyone is to compete using the most of what they can do. However, there are some rules: Do not use a skill for the wrong time. For example, you can't use magic during the physical activities, and you can't use physical activity during the magic trials. Also, using deadly spells is strictly forbidden. In fact, killing in general is out of the question. That's a no-brainer. And last rule is "have fun", but that's kind of a cheesy rule…wouldn't even call it a rule." Ezlo sure knew his stuff.

As Vaati absorbed the information in his mind, he wondered to himself _Can I use Toja as long as I don't kill anyone?_

************************************************************************


	11. A New Foe

**Chapter 11 - A New Foe**

Ezlo and Mitten stood in the centre of the coliseum with their apprentices. Other masters of Pekaloh stood with their apprentices as they waited patiently for the referee to arrive.

"Stand up straight, boy." Ezlo muttered out of the corner of his mouth as a man with brown hair dressed in an orange cap with a matching poncho entered the coliseum and approached the contestants.

"Paccichi, Picori no Pekaloh." he said.

"Piccichi, Paso." the other Minish echoed.

"Master, what if I can't understand what he's saying?" Vaati whispered to Ezlo.

"I'll translate for you." Ezlo began, "Good morning, Minish of Pekaloh. I am your referee for this year's tournament. My name is Paso Konali. Your training for the annual Pekaloh Games starts now. The masters will train their apprentices individually or in pairs for exactly a week until the time of the Pekaloh Games. That is all."

Just as Ezlo, Vaati, Mitten, and Cricket turned around to head to a section where they could begin training, a deep and somewhat hoarse voice caught their attention. First Mitten turned around, followed by Cricket then Vaati and Ezlo.

There stood a man dressed in an identical robe as Mitten. (He was most likely a Pekaloh master as well.) The light caused a bluish shine on his long, jet black hair in which a small portion was pulled into a samurai-like bun on the top of his head. Right next to him stood a strong boy with his silver spiked hair.

"Yosaishi, Madame Osono." said the man with a deep, monotonic voice.

"Good luck to you too, Master Tido!" Mitten had an excited one. "This is my former master, Master Ezlo and his current apprentice, Vaati. They're from the human world. So please speak modern for them. Master Ezlo and Vaati, this is Master Tido Pyshum. He's my best friend! And that's his apprentice, Paco Ronama. They're going to compete as well. You're gonna compete, right, Tido?"

Tido had a stern look. Very serious, very driven. Vaati would have guessed he would be competing. His apprentice, Paco, looked driven, but also arrogant. Like the type who absolutely had to win no matter what.

"Yes." Tido nodded.

"I'm Master Ezlo Wood of the human world and this is my subordinate, Vaati Picoru." Ezlo bowed, Tido and Paco bowed back. Ezlo nudged Vaati in the ribcage with his elbow and Vaati bowed as well, keeping his eyes focused on Paco.

************************************************************************

Vaati changed into his uniform for practice in the locker room. His purple robe was off, bare chested and he pulled up the tight brown leggings so he wouldn't feel as exposed and vulnerable. Especially after hearing Paco go, "So, are you and Maddy an item?"

"Who's--?" It took Vaati a while to realize "Maddy" meant "Cricket".

"Maddy. Maddy Paccolatti. You like her a lot."

"Actually, I find her incredibly annoying." Vaati replied, seeing right where this was going and hoped his response would make him back off. Vaati slipped his white robe over himself. That felt much better as he now didn't feel as vulnerable.

"I know lies a mile away. And not to sound rude or anything, but you'd better keep your hands off of her." Paco scowled. Vaati grumbled as he put on his royal red poncho over the white under robe. Paco continued, changing the subject, "So, are you ready for the big tournament?"

"It's in a week."

"I know that. Are you ready?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?!" Vaati snapped.

"Well, I don't know. It's your first time. The underdogs don't usually do too well…" Paco nodded his head in the direction of the hooks where the clothes were hanging and muttered a spell. "Shogaan!" not soon after, all the clothes flew off their hooks and fluttered around the room. "If you can't master that one, you'll be dead out there. I'm just saying that this is a team, and you have to think of the others. You'd better not make us lose, kid."

_He probably takes me for some kind of amateur._ the small boy thought, annoyed.

The teen Minish saw Vaati rolling his eyes. With a glare, Paco zapped a large green button in the corner and it melted like snow in spring. "And for the record, next time you decide to sleep in the same bed as my sister, consider what I could do to you." With that, Paco left, hoping to intimidate Vaati. Instead, Vaati's blood boiled as he let out a frustrated scream.

"ARGH!!! I _DON'T _LIKE THAT NINNY!"

If competing against him meant that Vaati could show him all he had, then he would be more than happy to do so.

************************************************************************


	12. Versus

Chapter 12 - Versus

**In the coliseum, Ezlo, Tido, and Mitten waited patiently for their apprentices to finish getting ready. Cricket skipped joyfully out of the girls' room while Vaati and Paco strolled out of the boys'. Vaati shadowing his future (secret) opponent with his head tilted down and his eyes fixed on the back of Paco's head. **

**Cricket reported to Mitten's side and Paco and Vaati did the same with their masters. It was 10 o'clock at night, everyone at Pekaloh was asleep except for the six training. Ezlo had decided that they should be "mysterious" and fit in some extra secret training while everyone was asleep. After all, as Ezlo had said, "The rules never said we can't."**

"**Master, why are we training with **_**them**_**?!" Vaati mumbled, jerking his head toward Tido and Paco. "Aren't we supposed to be competing **_**against**_** them?!" **

"**Why so sour? We're in a team. Mitten says that Master Tido is like a brother to her and she thought the three of you could practice against each other."**

"**It says we can't in the rule book!"**

"**That only applies to the actual games. Practicing doesn't matter. I think you guys would make a great team."**

"**But…why?"**

**Ezlo looked down at Vaati and shrugged, "Why not?"**

****************************************************************************

"**Vaati, me is needing your help!" Cricket called.**

"**What for?" Vaati whined.**

**Cricket winked at Vaati. "You and Cricket work together and we fight brother to train. Paco make good practice-man because he be stronger and more experienced. Ezlo say it be a good idea for you and me to become friends."**

**Vaati turned around and looked at his master with a look as if to say "Do I have to?" Ezlo smiled and nodded. Vaati lowered his eyebrows, mentally shaking his fist and turned back around to face Cricket. **

**Vaati observed Cricket, taking a sigh, then saying. "Alright, Maddy. Show me what you can do."**

"**Umm…Cricket can levitate stuff, and turn tings [things] into plants, and I is a good Rock-Paper-Scissors player."**

"…**Rock-Paper-Scissors?" **

"**Ya, ya! It a game where you either say "Rock", "Paper", or "Scissor" to your opponent and tey [they] do the same. And, like, for instant, if Cricket say "rock", den [then] a big rock go flying at opponent. And say you say "paper" paper go flying at Cricket and she gets wrapped up like a present."**

"**So…with scissors, the other person gets cut up?"**

"**Ya! Ya! You got it!" Cricket clapped. "Vaati and Cricket don't play it right now against each other, tough [though]. We play it against Paco. Hey, Paco!!!" Cricket called to the silver haired teen, and he looked over. "Kaela paka dino koulchu Rock-Paper-Scissors?"**

**Paco shrugged and nodded, "Mölli, cece py?"**

"**Come on, Vaati. Paco will play Rock Paper Scissors with us!"**

****************************************************************************


	13. Revenge

**Chapter 13 - Revenge**

The past week was a busy one. It seemed to go by quickly, but when Vaati looked back on it, it seemed longer. All those late-night practices had nearly made him nocturnal. Vaati tried to argue with Ezlo that he "won't even be awake for the tournament." Ezlo would argue back "training during the night; others won't try to copy our techniques." Ezlo always seemed to make a reasonable explanation, which by this time, Vaati knew winning a debate trying to get Ezlo to let him eat sugar cubes before dinner, or explore the forest would never adequately work.

Early morning of the tournament, Vaati awoke to Ezlo holding his index finger under Vaati's nose. The elder Minish jumped back in surprise when the child's eyes fully opened.

"What are you doing, Master Ezlo? It looked like you thought I was going to bite you or something."

"Oh, uh…nothing. You were just sleeping so soundly, it didn't look like you were breathing. I was…worried."

Vaati stared. "…About what?"

"I don't know. When we came here, you didn't seem very happy…" Ezlo said assuming Vaati knew what he was talking about. Ezlo continued, "Vaati, are you sure you really want to compete in the tournament? Because if you're not feeling alright, we can easily forfeit."

_Well, I wasn't really that wild about joining in the first place. _he thought, then he sat Toja on his lap and stared into the dolls eyes. _But I want to show Paco what I'm made of!_

************************************************************************

Everyone lined up in the coliseum, while proud parents, friends and family members of the Pekaloh students whom had traveled to the institute to watch, sat in the bleachers.

Paso Konali reviewed the rules to the competitors. Once Paso was done, those, selected to be up and the ones on deck stayed while the rest went to sit out. Ezlo and Tido and their apprentices' were ones to sit out. Mitten was on deck with Cricket.

Being the hyperactive child Vaati was, he would often shake his foot, and this was just a random quirk that irritated Ezlo. He looked up and saw Ezlo frowning at him.

"It's annoying!" he simply said.

"What's annoying?"

"Don't be smart with me, stupid kid! Either stop it, or go bother someone else." it wasn't unusual for Ezlo to say hard-hearted things, but it didn't faze Vaati.

"I'm bored!--Ah! Whatever, I'll just walk around or something. Call me when we're on deck."

"Fine."

Vaati got up from his seat and decided to wander around the tiny passage ways under the wood-carved bleachers.

"Master Tido, I'm telling you! We'll use the super-Shogaan spell for the martial arts section! Nobody will notice!" Vaati overheard Paco arguing with his master in the corner, right above him. The two of them huddled against the wall, as if to make themselves invisible.

"Idiot!" Tido smacked the back of Paco's head. "Of course they'll notice! We're talking a very visible spell with swords! Where's your brain, kid?"

"Fine, then! How about the Apakiinot one?"

"No!"

"Puma-yinyen?"

"No!!" Tido scowled.

"Well, why don't you just use Kr--"

"Shut-up! Do you want to get me into trouble?!"

"What you mean because you have--"

"Yes! Now-now quiet down! I really mean it! Don't you know even _owning_ one of these is highly illegal in the Minish World?! And using it can get me a death sentence! And trust me, kid, I've been using it a hell of a lot these days and _you_ need to keep your trap shut, or I'm in for it!"

_In for what? _Vaati pondered. This train of thought was interrupted by Ezlo tapping him on the shoulder.

"They called us on deck. Let's go! …What are you doing here, anyway? Looks as if you're scheming something."

_I don't know about me, but Tido and Paco…_

************************************************************************

After Ezlo and Vaati were finished with their round, the two made their way to the reserved section of the bleachers as Tido and Paco made their way past them to be on deck.

Paco nudged Vaati's shoulder with his own and said, "I knew you were an amateur." with a snicker. "Allow me to show you how it's done by a professional."

Tido kicked his apprentice in the back. "Stop stalling and move it!"

Paco continued to walk as he kept his smirking eyes on Vaati waving a ball of simple magic around. Vaati stood at the top of the bleachers, holding Toja mysteriously behind his back, with the same, exact evil smile.

************************************************************************

Voodoo Instruction Manual Part III.

There is also, another chant that affects what the person does. (e.g. after the owner says the chant, by making the doll hit itself on the head, the possessed individual will also hit them self on the head.) The chant's name is known as The Physical Chant" This is a sub-conscious compulsion. Meaning that the recipient will do what they're being made to do, but in their mind, they will not know why they're doing it.

Also, if you say this chant the effects from other chants will not be applied to this one. (Ex. If you used the Nerve Possession Chant before, and you're now using the Physical, you won't be able to do anything that the Nerve Possession Chant does with the Physical Chant together.)

The chant goes as follows:

"Shopoi no toboi, shoroi no tovoi, ryu-po Toja! Paklu kupo shidou kaui da hime no [you're doll's name] zo joki pakatu usau tovoi silak!

Translated into:

"God of Death, Goddess of Evil, unholy Toja! Possess this doll by the name of [you're doll's name] to do your physical evil deeds!"

************************************************************************

The gong to being had rung and it appeared as thought Paco and Tido were going to win. They used advanced techniques that even Ezlo was scratching his head, wondering how they did it. Like a child watching a magician do his tricks. Vaati had no intention of finding out if they were cheating or not. No. After all, he seemed pretty sure of himself that they _were_, in fact, disobeying the rulebook in some way. Well…maybe just Paco.

Vaati was, once again, underneath the bleachers, away from everyone else. Even Ezlo because he couldn't even trust his own master to keep what he was about to do a secret.

The ebony-haired doll hung limp in the Minish boy's hand. The webs between his thumb and first finger supported it from under its armpits. He watched in disgust as Paco kicked the butt of his victim to his cheating. Although Vaati couldn't hear what Paco was saying to the other boy that he was competing against, he could tell it was some sort of gloating.

After the match was up, Tido, and the other Master/Apprentice pair went up to the bleachers to sit while Paco stayed where he was, doing his victory dance. Vaati clenched his fists and made a loathing glare. The boy smashed the doll up against the wall and watched with glee as Paco flew forward and smacked face-first into the wall.

Tido turned around in curiosity, "Paco, what the _hell_ do you think you're doing?!"

"I don't know!" Paco replied honestly. Vaati clenched one of Toja's hands between his fingers and made Paco bop himself on the head. "Ow! Ouch!"

"Fool, quit making a scene!" Tido snapped.

"I'm not trying to! I swear!" and with that he took a rock and beat himself on the head even harder.

"Do you want to disqualify us, boy?!"

"Ow! Ow! Ah!!! Master!" Paco called out, tears welling up in his eyes. Vaati smiled grimly from under the bleachers and let out a small chuckle. Only then was it when that blow to the temple, Vaati realized things had gone too far…

Paco dropped the rock and collapsed to the floor, blood flowing from his head.

"…Paco?" Tido turned around. "Paco, quit goofing around!"

The other competitors and some people from the audience got up and gathered around Paco.

His master shook his shoulder. Now, he knew something was really wrong. If Paco had been pulling a stunt, where did all the blood come from?

Vaati stayed underneath the bleachers watching in aw. His stomach churned, he felt guilty which made him not want to come out.

_M-maybe he's alright. Maybe he was just knocked out…yeah! That's it! He was knocked out! Paco's strong, he can probably deal with stuff ten times worse… _But there was still that sliver of doubt that the young boy had. He felt his heart skip a beat when he heard Paso the referee say, "He's dead."

************************************************************************


	14. Accidental

**Chapter 14 - Accidental**

Vaati darted immediately out of the coliseum outside of Pekaloh. The bitter cold wind smacking against his face as he ran into the snow and kneeled down to vomit.

"I-I'm a murder! I k-killed Paco!" Vaati repeated over and over in disbelief that he, himself had done such a barbaric thing. "I didn't mean to! I-I just wanted…to get revenge on him! I wasn't _trying_ to kill him." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Okay…so…I'll probably be fine as long as…no one finds out it was me…I mean, how could they? Heheh. I was no where near him when it happened! They have no proof!" Just then, it occurred to him: Toja. He didn't want to give him up, but he was sure Ezlo would have to know something about voodoo in order for him to own a book about it.

"I'll be fine as long as Ezlo doesn't see it. But, wait a second. Now that Paco is dead, Toja has to possess someone who's living now…I guess…since I'm always pretty careful, I'll just use Ezlo again…as long as I keep Toja safe, he'll be fine. Yes…he'll be fine…"

************************************************************************

Sneaking back into Pekaloh, he found Mitten, Ezlo, and Tido talking in circle in the lobby. Not wanting to be spotted, Vaati sidled against the wall to listen in.

"I'm so sorry to hear about your apprentice, Tido." Ezlo begins, sounded exactly the way he did when Vaati's mother died.

"Yes, Paco was a very sweet boy." Mitten nodded. _I didn't think so. _Vaati thought.

Tido shrugs, "Eh, his stupidity and arrogance got the best of him, I suppose."

"But it's such a shame. I mean, what do you think would drive him to do such a thing to himself?"

"Mitten's right, you know, Tido. It's not every day a kid stones himself to death. If that was supposed to be some kind of a victory dance, that was one weird dance. But that's just me."

"Well, he was always one of those boys who would do the whole banging heads, thing with his buddies."

"I don't know. But don't you think if he had any brains at all, he'd stop after he'd begin to feel dizzy? Something fishy, I'd say." Ezlo pondered. "Oh well." he shrugged.

"What do you think you're going to do now?"

"Well, Paco's family is going to come by to pick up his body so they can hold a funeral service back at his hometown. As for me, I don't know, really. Get a new apprentice, I suppose. There's a whole line of them waiting for a master to take them on. I'll talk to Count Pukki in the morning about the matter."

"I see, well, good night, Master Tido. Good night, Mitten." Ezlo bowed and the rest bowed back.

************************************************************************


	15. A Doll Not To Be Played With

**Chapter 15 - A Doll Not to Be Played With**

With the Pekaloh games over, Vaati was glad he no longer had to spend nights up with Mitten, Cricket, and his master. After the daily lesson with Ezlo and Mitten, Vaati decided to stretch his legs and take a walk. Mainly just to spend some time away from everyone so he could reflect on his thoughts. He still felt sick to his stomach about Paco. The phrase _You're a murderer! You killed him! _had been echoing in Vaati's mind since the incident, accusing him of his guilt.

Strolling down the halls of the institute, Vaati was still having a hard time finding his way around. He had climbed many levels of winding stairs that wrapped around the tree in which Pekaloh was. Admiring the paintings of relaxing nature scenes help put Vaati's spirit at ease.

Master Tido came walking out of an office, not his, for Vaati was on the executive's floor.

"Hello…" Vaati says sheepishly as he looks up at tall, Master Tido.

"Hrmph." The man plainly says with a straight face and walks off, leaving the boy feeling awkward for the random greet. Just as Vaati is pulling Toja out from under his robe, hoping to possess the one who had made him feel small, the weak voice of an old folk broke his concentration and made him jump and hide Toja back under his robe.

"Quite a stern fellow, isn't he?"

"Huh?" Vaati turned around to see a short (shorter than Vaati, even) old man, much older than Ezlo, with long white hair tied up in a bun on the top, much like Tido's. He had a flowing beard and mustache and was garbed in a long red robe. A wooden staff with a mysterious green crystal that appeared as if it bared the spirits of the whole Minish world help support his feeble body.

"That Master Tido, he hasn't been the same since he got that--oh, who cares? A young lad like you has no business knowing about a situation as serious as his, nor do you have any business aimlessly wandering around up here."

"O-oh…sorry. I just got lost."

The old man squinted his eyes, then let out a smile, "Ah, no worries, child. It's not like I have anything to hide…speaking of hiding things, what's that you've got under your robe there?"

Vaati hesitated, "…Nothing."

"Are you sure?" the man reached and pulled Toja out of his pocket, Vaati gritted his teeth, nervous as the elder Minish held the doll up by its hands. "Well, isn't this the darnedest thing? It must have been years since I've seen a child of Pekaloh playing with dolls. All the students are so busy nowadays, they have no time for such things. Well…" he gave the doll back to Vaati, "you have a good day now."

***********************************************************************

Nightfall had reached. Ezlo and Mitten were playing Pingco, a Minish board game in the parlor, while Vaati and Cricket prepared themselves for sleep.

"Hey, hey! Vaati what is tat?" Cricket giggled, and Vaati hid Toja, defensively.

"It's nothing, Cricket. Go to sleep."

"It _is _someting!" the girl crawled over Vaati and yanked Toja from Vaati's arms.

"Hey!"

Cricket giggled with glee as she threw the doll up in the air, then caught it. "A dolly! Cricket didn't know you had one!"

"That's not a toy! Give it back!" Vaati snarled and ran after Cricket.

"Tee hee!" she began combing Toja's hair with her fingers. "Tis is fun!"

"Give it back, _please_!" Vaati lowered his eyebrows. "That doll is not to be played with!"

"Can I sleep wit tis? Pleeease? Cricket will be ever so careful!"

"The answer is no!" Vaati knew the doll was still possessing Ezlo, and, of course, didn't want him to get hurt, or worse, the same thing that happened to Paco.

Vaati snatched Toja back, and gave the girl an angry glare in reply to her unhappy one.

"Okay…" Cricket sighed, then crawled under the covers.

"Good, I'm glad we're on the same page." He said as he blew out the flame on the candle.

************************************************************************

The young Minish boy tossed and turned all throughout the night, moaning:

_Running in fear from the mysterious shadow that was chasing him, Vaati panted hard, even though his lungs were burning fiercely. He had no idea what the shadow that was chasing him was, but he had no intention in finding out. _

_After loosing whatever it was, he hid under a giant tree to catch his breath. An evil voice broke his concentration._

"_You can't run from it, Vaati!"_

"…_H-huh?" Vaati reached into his pocket and pulled Toja out, to his surprise, the doll had a mouth and was speaking._

"_You know exactly what. You've killed once, you can do it again. Your guilt can be seen a mile away. It's EVERYWHERE!" Pretty soon, Vaati felt a thick liquid dripping down his back, he sat up from against the tree. Gasping, he saw blood dripping from the tree of Pekaloh Institute. Toja continued talking._

"_Together, you and I can exterminate all those people who've been a nuisance to you. Cobra, Thunder, and Arsenic?"_

"_No!" Vaati covered his ears._

"_Cricket? Tido? Mitten?"_

"_Leave me alone!"_

"_How about that good-for-nothing master of yours that uses you as a scapegoat, Ezlo?"_

"_Ahhh…!!!"_

Vaati woke up to the sound of screaming. But to his surprise, it wasn't his own. It sounded like the scream of a female.

"What is it, Madame?" Cricket perked her head up.

"Ezlo…he's…he's…"

************************************************************************

Voodoo Instruction Manual Part IV.

The one who first possesses the doll, is not the only one who can make things happen to the doll. For example, if someone else happens to get a hold of the doll, and they aren't the original owner, they will not become the owner, though, they will still be able to do minor things with the doll.

************************************************************************

"He's "what", Madame?" Cricket asked as she and Vaati made their way into the parlor. Tido had overheard her and had come into their dorm.

"I think he's dead! Mitten gasped.

Tido felt the old master's pulse to make sure, "He's not dead, he's just unconscious. He's definitely not breathing, that's for certain."

"What should we do?" Cricket.

"Take him to the infirmary, you idiots!" Vaati exclaimed, getting cross with them stalling.

"The small one is right." said Tido and he and Mitten picked Ezlo up.

Vaati felt around for Toja. He was nowhere. Now his heart began to race as he asked frantically of Cricket, "Where's my doll?!"

Cricket scowled, "Cricket hid him because you were being a meanie!"

"Where did you hide him!?" Vaati shook Cricket's shoulders.

"Uhh…"

"Cricket, dear. Now's not the time! We have to go now!" Mitten quickly said.

"Yes, Madame." Cricket obeyed. She, Mitten, and Tido left while Vaati stayed behind to look for Toja.

************************************************************************ Vaati panicked as he tore the dorm apart, looking for the black-haired voodoo doll. He knew that Toja was still possessing Ezlo, and that wherever that wretched doll was, there was no way even the most advanced medical techniques could save Ezlo. He only had a limited time to find Toja before Ezlo would be officially dead.

"Toja! Toja! Where are you?!"

"Toja? That's quite an unusual name to call a doll, don't you think?" said a voice. Vaati spun around and saw the same old man from the day before staring at him.

The child pondered as to why someone from the executives floor was all the way down by the master dormitories. _How did he know Toja was doll?_

"You seem rather tense for someone looking for a lifeless doll…but is it really lifeless, I wonder?" Vaati had been looking through the cushions and turned around. The old man was gone.

Puzzling for a moment, then bringing himself back to find Toja, he lifted up one of the cushions and to Vaati's relief, there he was!

Setting the limp doll gently on his lap and taking Ezlo's staff which had been left behind, he tried to remember to himself how that life spell that Ezlo taught him went.

"Cici ziin loutak no…Cici ziin loutak no…" Vaati tried to remember the Minish word for "resuscitation". "Loutak no…cho…nos? Cho…jolia? Damn! I knew it was something with "cho" in it!" Time was running out. Vaati rubbed his temples. "Come on, Vaati! Think! Think!" He remembered that the spell had a rhyme to it.

"Cici ziin loutak no chomanchmal okom…" he was starting to remember it. "mon opai soyoko da jo no da hal." the boy smiled. That was it!

Stuffing Toja into his pocket and crossing his fingers, he left the dormitory and headed to the infirmary a couple floors down to see if the spell really worked.

************************************************************************

Ezlo was fine. He was awake and conscious as Mitten, Cricket, and Tido gathered around him to ask if he was feeling fine. The sound of Vaati's feet screeching against the floor to make a sharp turn was heard and Ezlo looked up.

"…Vaati?"

"Master! Thank…thank goodness!" he took deep breaths between words.

"Why did you stay behind, Vaati?" Cricket asked. "Doesn't you care about your master?"

Vaati ignored her and went closer to his master to give him a hug. Ezlo was surprised. This was probably the first time Vaati had shown this kind of affection since…ever. Not that Ezlo minded any, it pleased him to see Vaati show his soft side once in a while.

"I must say, I can't possibly understand how this could randomly happen." Mitten says.

"Alas, I'm old. It'll probably be in my daily routine, eh?" Ezlo laughed. Vaati smiled, then turned around and scowled at Cricket.

"Cricket, may I see you outside, please?" Vaati asked, trying to contain his anger until the two were out of the room.

"Vaati will tell of his love of Cricket, ya?" Vaati said nothing as he led her out of the room by her wrist. Toja in his pocket, and Ezlo's staff in his right hand.

************************************************************************

Outside of the room in which Ezlo was resting and the rest were lounging, Vaati let go of the girl's wrist. She giggled gleefully thinking the boy of her dreams was going to tell her something she wanted to hear, until the sharp pain of the beak of Ezlo's bird-headed staff hitting her skull told her otherwise.

"How _DARE _you endanger my master's life like that! Don't you have any common sense!?"

"Huh?" Cricket didn't know what Vaati meant. She couldn't recall ever endangering Ezlo's life before. Vaati took Toja out of his pocket and waved it in her face.

"This doll," Vaati began, with a raised voice that scared Cricket, "is a doll **NOT** to be played with! It's not a toy!"

"…Ten what is it?" Cricket whispered quietly, her voice equivalent to a mouse's squeak.

"Argh!!!" Vaati shoved Toja back into his pocket and stormed back into the room.

************************************************************************


	16. The Other Toja

**Chapter 16 - The Other Toja**

Mitten, Vaati, Cricket, and Tido all left Ezlo at the infirmary for the rest of the day and all that night. Although after a couple of minutes after regaining consciousness, Ezlo felt fit as a fiddle, the nurses said that it would be best for him not to over-exert himself for a little bit. After all, they still believed that the reason Ezlo stopped breathing was only because he was old. They didn't know the _real _reason, however.

It was right after that incident that Vaati decided it was the last straw. He would no longer, under any circumstances, let Toja possess Ezlo ever again.

Though, as the Book of Voodoo stated, Toja would be naked without a soul to possess. The Minish boy, possessed the one person he felt deserved to be jerked around as punishment for nearly killing Ezlo: Cricket.

************************************************************************

Voodoo Instruction Manual Part V.

The Physical Chant only affects what the recipient _does_. It does not affect what they say. There is a separate chant for this known as the "Vocal Chant". It goes as follows:

"Shidou, shidou, kaela hulu tu tino. Mint kim liipo sahg caca tu sahg."

This chant will discard the affects of other chants and will only work solo.

************************************************************************

A day later, Ezlo was back from the infirmary and well enough to teach again. He and Mitten were giving Cricket and Vaati a lecture on the Paccist religion.

"It was then, when the Almighty Pacci came down from the sky with His golden cane and defended the people of the Minish World against the evil Toja!" Mitten had much emotion in her voice. She was actually able to draw even Vaati's attention into the lecture, which was a skill Ezlo seemed to be lacking as he would often talk with more of a monotone.

"Hey! Toja! Just like your doll's name, Vaati!" Ezlo smiled and pointed at Vaati. The boy felt his cheeks go pink as he slumped.

"Master Ezlo?"

"Yes, Vaati?"

"Can I--um…Can I go to the bathroom?"

"I don't know. _Can_ you?" Ezlo make a quirky smirk.

Vaati rolled his eyes. He hated it when Ezlo tried to be silly. "Okay, fine. _MAY_ I go to the bathroom?"

"Yes, you may." Vaati got up from the little wooden stool and began to leave as he heard Ezlo laugh and say to Cricket, somewhat poking fun at Vaati, "Ever go to the bathroom and you just _can't_?"

Vaati sat against the wall off the hallway in Pekaloh, Toja sitting on the lap of his "Indian-style" crossed legs.

"Toja, you must possess Maddy Paccolatti." he made a stern look and chanted, "Shidou, shidou, kaela hulu tu tino. Mint kim liipo sahg caca tu sahg."

************************************************************************

"Pacci is Almighty. Never, never, defy Him." Mitten continued during the lecture. Meanwhile, back in the hallway, Vaati mumbled words into Toja's ear. "_Hmph, "Almighty", eh? I bet Toja could totally kick his rump!_"

"That's not very lady-like talk, Maddy." Ezlo stared at the innocent girl. Mitten did the same stare as she turned around from the chalkboard.

"I-uh…"she was speechless. "_It's MY kind of talk, old man! That's right! You heard me!…_er, oh my!"

"Maddy Paccolatti, that's no way to speak to a well-respected sage!" Mitten scolded.

"But…I…_Think he's more of a well-respected GEEZER!_"

Vaati snickered. He could faintly hear what they were saying. It was fun to call Ezlo and Mitten names without getting in trouble.

"_And another thing, sister, why don't you learn to sleep in a regular bed instead of a mitten all the time?_"Cricket didn't know why in Din's name she was saying these things.

"Maddy!" Mitten exclaimed.

"I…I don't know why I'm--_wasting my time with you losers! Hasta la vista, senile-green, and mitten-sleeper!_" Cricket didn't leave her spot.

"If that's the way you feel about learning, Cricket, then you're not getting any more for a week, young lady!" Mitten.

"B-but but, I didn't say it!"

"You most certainly did! Ezlo and I both heard it and we saw your lips moving!"

"But it is not me talking! I-I don't know what is going on…but tis isn't really me! Honest!"

Ezlo answered, "Pssht, what? Are you trying to tell us that _Vaati's_ making you talk, or something?!"

************************************************************************

Vaati snickered as he held Toja away from his mouth so he didn't make Cricket snicker, too. The perfect scheme!

"You've got a voodoo doll, do you not?" said that serious voice…Tido.

Vaati jumped out of his skin and hid Toja. How did he know? "N-no, I don't!" he denied.

"Strange, then. I don't know too many thirteen year old boys who play with dolls named "Toja" and make evil snickering sounds."

Vaati's heart was racing. Thoughts of his execution were speeding through his mind. _They're gonna kill me! They're gonna kill me! Tido's going to snitch on me and they're gonna kill me! Dear God, I don't want to die! _In his panic, the only thing Vaati was able to say was. "I--I--uh, I uh…I uh…"

"Shh!" Tido sat down next to Vaati. The boy scooted away some.

"Please don't tell anyone! Please!" Tears filled Vaati's eyes, blurring his vision as he folded his hands, begging for mercy. "I was stupid! I didn't mean any harm! It's not my fault! I had a terrible childhoo--"

"It's okay." Tido calmed him as he pulled out a doll with hair made of a fiery red-dyed cotton. Fierce. A black robe with long sleeves. Yellow button eyes that seemed like the kind that hide in the shadows, awaiting prey. "This…is Krouku. As you may know, means "Death". He also has the power to injure, kill, and maim, just as yours does."

"H-how do I know you're not standing me up? That could just be any kind of doll. Are…you're not a spy, are you?!" Vaati raised his voice. Tido covered his mouth.

"Not so loud, boy! Krouku really does work. And I can prove it to you." He looked over at a Minish master observing the postage stamps on the wall and nodded. "That man over there. His name is Master Pama Roshin. We've been foes for quite a while now. Krouku is possessing him right at this very moment. Watch." Tido made a fist and pounded Krouku on the head.

"OW!" Vaati watched Master Pama cover his head and look up at the ceiling as if a boulder was going to--or already hit him on the head.

Vaati's mouth opened slightly, but he still couldn't be too sure. "I'm not convinced." he crossed his arms.

"Very well then." Tido muttered the Vocal Chant loud enough for Vaati to hear, but quiet so no one but he and Vaati could hear. "_I think apple cores aren't enough. I need a whole apple!…Blah blah blah!_"Tido whispered into Krouku's ear and Master Pama repeated them.

Now Vaati was totally convinced.

"Now, do you believe me?"

"…Yes. Yes, I do."

"Let us go to a more private place. There is much I need to explain to an amateur voodoo-user such as yourself." And with that, Vaati and Tido left with their dolls.

************************************************************************

The two sat outside of Pekaloh on rocks. Vaati listened as Tido explained what he knew.

"…Count Pukki suspects me."

"Huh?" Vaati cocked his head.

"He believes that I killed my former apprentice. He has no proof, however. That's why he hasn't caught me yet. The penalty for owning a voodoo doll is serious. As you probably assumed when I first asked you about Toja, if they catch you and find out you were using it, you can be executed. It's that fatal."

Vaati gulped. "How did he start suspecting you in the first place."

Tido simply said, "Drain…" Vaati waited for the man to say more. "You may think you know everything about voodoo from the book, but it doesn't tell you everything…"

"How so?"

"You probably don't know this since I can tell you haven't had that doll for very long. I can still see much amount of vigorous life in you. I've had mine for six years now and as you can see, I must look about as dead as a doornail to most." Vaati observed Tido's pale-as-dust face. "Having a voodoo doll doesn't only possess someone else's soul, but it also feeds off of the owner's. Six years I've had Krouku. Six long years. And every year I've had him a bit of my soul is taken away from me. Count Pukki obviously saw this and now he's onto me. Having a voodoo doll is no day in paradise, boy. I had time six years ago to give up my doll and rid myself of the impurity…but I…just couldn't seem to let myself do it. Voodoo is like a drug. It drains you until you eventually die, and I don't doubt that time is coming soon for me. But despite its ability to addict you, it's almost impossible to get rid of. You may have read in the book that getting the doll's spirit back into the doll is possible, therefore ridding you of its powers, but the consequences are dire. Do you know what those consequences are, Vaati?" Vaati stared and shook his head. Tido continued, with a slight gulp, "Half…"

"Half?" Vaati was confused of Tido using keywords and barely explaining.

"Yes, half. Half of your soul, half of your self control, half of you life down the drain. With half your soul gone, you will begin to show an unusual viciousness towards the ones you care for. Half of self control, you will begin to do evil deeds against your will. And half of your life, as you can assume, all of us are destined by Pacci to live for a certain amount of time. That will be shortened. It's a consequence no one wants to take, but unfortunately for you and I, it has to be either half of everything we are, or drainage until our death. I wish I was wise enough long ago to have known this, otherwise I would have never even made Krouku, but all those people…all those other masters who would snub their noses at me…I had to get them back…I hoped that they would burn…but now I see, the one who will be burning in the end, will be me…I hope that this will encourage you to give up Toja and take another shot at life before it's too late." Tido got up and began to walk back into Pekaloh.

Vaati shrugged, _Wow, just like Ezlo's lectures…just blabbering on about nothing for hours._

************************************************************************


	17. End Before the End

**Chapter 17 - End Before the End**

A week later, Cricket was able to go back to learning as Mitten had promised. Cricket had apologized about her actions, even though she knew in her heart it really wasn't her fault.

"Madame Osono? Master Ezlo?" Cricket said quietly with her hands behind her back and her ears down as she talked. Ezlo and Mitten looked up from their Pingco playing cards.

"Yes, Cricket dear?" Mitten.

"I…is sorry for what Cricket said about you two. I don't know what came over me." she kneeled on the floor, letting her forehead touch the floor--this was the Minish apology bow. "Can you ever forgive me?"

"It's alright, Cricket. Just try not to do it again." Ezlo lifted a slight smile.

"Me will try…" Cricket said. "Ya…me will try…"

************************************************************************

Vaati and Cricket woke up the next morning, Mitten was making fried apple minces, jelly on cracker shards, and Deku tea for breakfast. Vaati had to make sure he didn't let ol' fudge slip out of his mouth if he happened to stain his robe again. Ezlo was sitting at the table, stitching the insides of the magic hat. Vaati didn't even know Ezlo had brought it along to work on.

"Did you hear about Count Pukki?" Ezlo said casually to anyone who was listening as he kept his eyes focused on the hat.

Mitten set the serving plates of food on the table. "No, what?"

"He died last night, apparently. I heard one of the other masters talking about it."

"Oh…" Mitten said sympathetically.

"His younger cousin, Päkaa whose 113 will be taking over. He was 148* years old. Say he died of old age. I wouldn't be surprised. I'll probably be the next soul Toja will take, haha." Ezlo joked lightly. These jokes now made Vaati uneasy. He knew Ezlo was nearing the end of his own life, and Vaati never wanted that time to come even though he knew it had to.

*The Minish (mainly in the Minish World) have longer lives than humans. If they don't die before their time, they usually live to be over 120. 120 is about age 75 in human years.

************************************************************************

Master Tido was sitting outside Pekaloh when Vaati found him. He was crossing his arms trying to keep himself warm in his robe as he watched the vapour from his breath exit his body when he exhaled.

"Hey, Master Tido! Did you hear? We don't have to worry about Count Pukki turning us in 'cause he died of old age last night!" Vaati was almost jubilant about the matter.

"Did he?" Tido never looked at Vaati. The boy didn't understand what the man was talking about.

"…Yeah, he did."

Tido pulled Krouku out from his robe. "Krouku did it." he simply said.

Vaati's eyes widened.

"Yes, I made Krouku make Count Pukki's heart stop beating. It was all my doing. Me and Krouku."

"…Well, either way. I give you kudos. I mean, with him gone we won't get in trouble, right? After all, everyone believes that he died of old age anyway. So there's no suspicion whatsoever! It's all good!"

"Not quite…I feel thin somehow. My soul is slowly deteriorating as I bare this thing longer. It's only a matter of time before it totally consumes me. It's too late to merely give the doll up. It'd be best to just end it all. I'd like to die with at least a thread of my soul still in me…Vaati, let this be a lesson to you. Live and learn from this. Give Toja up before it's too late! It's not too late for you, Vaati! There's still time to save yourself! Please! For your own sake, give it up! Your soul is all you've got left when you die. Don't leave this world with out it!!" Tido exclaimed. He sighed, and handed Krouku to Vaati. "Vaati, would you do me the honours?"

The child held the red haired voodoo doll in his palms. He didn't want to have to kill anyone anymore, but he decided assisted suicide was a different case. Vaati picked up a sharp pine needle that had fallen off the Pekaloh Institute evergreen tree. He shut his eyes, holding the needle over the area where Krouku's heart would be if dolls even had them and drove the spike in.

He didn't bother to open his eyes until after Tido's moans of excruciating pain were over. The boy opened up his eyes and looked down at the man. He was laying on his right side in the snow. His eyes still open, yet staring off into nowhere. Vaati couldn't see Tido's breath anymore…

************************************************************************


	18. Lifeless Thing

**Chapter 18 - Lifeless Thing**

After Tido's death, Vaati had claimed ownership of Krouku. He remembered what he had said about giving his doll up while he still had the chance. After witnessing Tido's suicide, Vaati was determined to give up Toja and not even thinking of taking Krouku. But alas, there was this subconscious force that drove Vaati into not only keeping Toja, but claiming Krouku as his own as well.

************************************************************************

It was a holy day for Paccists. Ezlo, Mitten, and Cricket had already gone to the temple in the morning, but Vaati had woken up late and went around noon.

"I'm going to the temple, Master!" Vaati called out as he left.

"That's right! You're late! Don't take too long. The next lecture is in an hour."

The temple was totally empty now that everyone who had wished to pray had gone in the morning. Vaati liked it this way. It was easier for him to relax and reflect on his thoughts. Though he felt betrayed by fate that all he cared about was gone forever, he still would often pray that one day he could die in peace without Ezlo interfering so he could be with his family again. This time, he had something different to ask for.

"It's me again. Lately, I've done a lot of bad things. Really, really bad things. I feel awful about it. I know that the burden I'm bearing can't easily be forgiven but please! I don't want to die without my soul! I just want to be with my family again!…Please…I've already tried to give it up, but instead I've got double of what troubles me. I just want help. I can't tell Ezlo. He wouldn't understand. I want to break this habit before it's too late." Tears welled up in his eyes and he began to break down into tears.

Just then, he heard a strange growling noise. Almost like some kind of angry animal. Wiping his tears away so he could see better, the boy looked around to make sure no animals were around.

He looked down at Toja down by his side. Vaati almost jumped out of his skin seeing those vicious eyes and that mouth that seemed to come out of nowhere on his doll. Vaati picked him up and the doll mauled him. Sharp teeth tearing his robes and ripping through his skin. Vaati screamed as he managed to throw Toja at the wall and stop the doll from doing any more damage. He panted. Awestruck and partly shaken. This lifeless doll that he believed only had the power to do as he commanded nearly killed him.

************************************************************************

When Vaati returned back to the dormitory at Pekaloh, Ezlo was the first to notice the bite marks and blood stains all over his apprentice.

"VAATI! What in the world happened?! Are you okay? Do you want me to take you to the infirmary?" Ezlo gasped, talking quickly as he lifted one of Vaati's arms, observing it.

"I'm fine, Master Ezlo. Really."

"You weren't beaten up by anyone, were you? Because I _will_ do something about it! They won't get away with this!" the master looked off with a loathing glare, clenching his fist.

"No, I'm okay. I was just…attacked by a fox. That's all."

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you to the infirmary? Can you walk? How many fingers am I holding up?"

Vaati rolled his eyes, "Two--Look, I'm fine! It's just a couple of cuts. No big deal. All I need is to wash and wrap the cuts and mend my robe and I'll be a happy camper! It's okay."

Ezlo sighed. "If you say so." he let go of Vaati's arm. He was so used to keeping two eyes on Vaati whenever he got worried about him, it felt as though he needed to, but Vaati was convinced it wasn't necessary.

************************************************************************

Voodoo Instruction Manual Part VI.

One thing to never forget about your voodoo doll is that they hate it when others send prayers to Pacci, the devil's sworn enemy. If you really need to, leave your doll in a place where it can't bother you while you pray. Otherwise, just show your doll who's boss using whatever kind of techniques you see fit.

************************************************************************


	19. The Discovery

**Chapter 19 - The Discovery**

That night, Vaati was mending the rips in his robe that Toja had made earlier that day. Krouku was hidden in his suitcase (though he had claimed ownership of Krouku, he hadn't yet given him the power to possess anyone yet). As for Toja, he was sitting on the bed, leaning against some pillows comfortably. Cricket walked in with her nightdress on, twirling around.

"Hiya, Vaati! What is you doing?"

"Mending my robe." Vaati prepared himself to take Cricket's irritating remarks.

"How do you rip it? Did Vaati get into a fight over Cricket because he loves her so?"

"No, Cricket." Vaati gritted his teeth, trying to restrain himself from bursting out.

The girl started combing through Vaati's fine lavender hair. "Does you like it when Cricket brush your hair? Cricket thinks Vaati has nice playing-hair."

"Please don't do that."

"Aww…but so much fun! Vaati…you and Cricket get married one day. Ya! We…get married and live together forever and EVER!! 'Cause Cricket really like you. And…you like Cricket, ya?"

"Umm…no, there's someone else I liked…she's…not here anymore…" it hurt him to think about it.

"No, no. Vaati like Cricket now. Old girlfriend is not here anymore like you said. So…Vaati and Cricket are together now, ya!"

This time, Vaati couldn't stand it any longer. He stood up and yelled, "OKAY, STOP IT!!!"

"…Huh?"

"I don't like you! I _never_ liked you! You don't have _any_ respect for anybody but _you_ and the only reason I kept quiet about hating you, IS BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT EZLO TO THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME!!!" Vaati sat down and huffed.

Cricket said nothing. She just stood there with a look as if she had just been stabbed. Because inside, she was quite literally hurt. And it _did_ feel like she had been emotionally stabbed in the heart.

She spun around and headed out of the room, stealing Toja off the bed without Vaati knowing.

************************************************************************

The young girl ran outside Pekaloh in tears. It wasn't fair. The one boy she had such a crush on rejected her in the most hurtful way possible.

Wind blowing in her golden hair, she started down at Toja with spite. For she saw Vaati in the doll's long hair and red eyes. With all her anger, she clawing at the doll, not holding back to do whatever she could to destroy it.

Searing pain flashed through her body, but she barely paid attention as she was too cheesed off to let her concentration leave "killing" Vaati's precious doll. She threw Toja against the tree trunk, tears still streaming down her face.

"DIE, STUPID BOY! DIE!" the girl screamed, "Cricket hates you! Cricket doesn't want you anymore! Die, die, die!!!"

************************************************************************

Cricket didn't return that night. Vaati was glad he had the whole bed to himself and he didn't have to deal with Cricket huddling up against him as usual. Of course, now that he had chewed her out, she probably didn't want to even be in the same dormitory as him. "Hmph. What a dramatic girl." Vaati would think to himself.

She wasn't there in the morning, either. This worried Mitten, and Vaati was started to get nervous. Not about Cricket, but he noticed Toja was gone.

Two days later, when Mitten decided her apprentice had been missing for far too long, she decided to round up as many people from Pekaloh as she could to help look for Cricket. Ezlo and Vaati included. Although Vaati could care less where Cricket was (he assumed she probably was staying in a different dormitory with someone she knows well to get away from Vaati), he did agree that Cricket being gone for so long was rather odd.

It was up to Vaati and Ezlo to ask the masters of Pekaloh if Cricket was stowing away in their dormitories and to please tell the truth.

Mitten was looking around on the bottom floors. After searching the lobby, she decided to step outside. She doubted Cricket was outside since she hated the cold, but it never hurts to check.

Scanning around the thick trunk of the pine tree, Madame Mitten stopped in her tracks to the most terrifying scene: Cricket was lying dead in the snow, Toja in her hand.

************************************************************************

"Oh my dear!!" Mitten gasped, heart skipping a beat. The girl was laying face-down but there was a dried pool of blood around her that told Mitten she was dead.

She turned her over and patched of snow still stuck to her face. Mitten discovered the source of where the blood had come from. It was coming from a large gash in her heart.

Picking her apprentice up, she cradled her, not wanting to believe she was dead. Mitten noticed Cricket holding a doll that she had noticed Vaati carrying around before. There was a similar gash in the doll's heart area. Remembering that in her latter years of being Ezlo's apprentice, he had taught her all about voodoo. Now all the pieces about Paco, Count Pukki, and Tido's deaths were finally coming together. But she needed one more thing to confirm that Vaati was guilty.

************************************************************************

After taking Cricket's body to be tended to, Mitten rummaged through the room Vaati and Cricket had slept in. Toja hidden in her pocket. Now that Toja hadn't possessed anyone after Cricket died, he was practically useless.

Pawing through Vaati's suitcase, she found the key of proof: the ripped out pages from the Book of Voodoo.

************************************************************************

Ezlo, Vaati, and everyone at Pekaloh had stopped searching once Mitten told them she had found Cricket dead. Ezlo was giving Vaati a lecture about the animals of the Minish World until Mitten walked in with Toja hidden in the pocket of her robe and the book pages rolled up in her hand.

"Master Ezlo." she said sternly.

"Ah, hello, Mitten! I'm so sorry about Cricket, might I say."

"Thank you, Master. But there's something important I have to talk to you about."

"Oh?" Ezlo perked his ears. "Please wait here, Vaati."

"Yes, Master Ezlo." Vaati obeyed and sat still in his seat as Ezlo followed Mitten out of the room.

Mitten whipped out Toja. "Do you know anything about this?!" said Mitten getting up in Ezlo's face.

"That's Vaati's little stress doll, why?" Ezlo backed away slightly.

Mitten held up the rolled pages. "I think it's a little bit more than a stress doll, Ezlo!"

"What's that?"

Mitten unrolled the pages and showed them to Ezlo. "I think you might recognize these from a familiar book you have. Remember? It's the one you taught me out of my fifteenth year as your apprentice?"

"…The Book of Voodoo? Where did you get this?"

"I found it in Vaati's suitcase. He's the reason why Paco stone himself, why Pukki "died of old age", why Tido was found dead outside Pekaloh, and why my _apprentice_ was **murdered**!"

"Wha--How can you be so sure?"

"All the pieces fit together, Ezlo! Those mysterious deaths! Surely, you must have witnessed some strange phenomenon."

Ezlo thought back to when he was crocheting and his fingers began to bleed. _That was…Vaati? My Vaati, my innocent little Vaati is a murderer_? The master's face turned white as sheet as he turned around to look inside the lecture hall at Vaati swinging his legs playfully while sitting on the stool.

"I'll go tell Count Päkaa to warn everyone else about him.

"Don't be too hasty. I don't want to have to cause any panic yet. I'll see what I can do."

"Alright, then." she handed Toja to Ezlo, "you watch over this. Make sure Vaati never gets it back. Do you hear?"

"Yes." Ezlo replied almost whispering, shaken by the fact Vaati wasn't who he thought he was all this time.

************************************************************************


	20. You Forgot I Sill Have Krouku

**Chapter 20 - You Forgot I Still Have Krouku…**

Ezlo walked back into the lecture hall holding Toja in his hand.

Vaati smiled. "Hey, Master! You found Toja! I've been looking for him for so long!"

Ezlo didn't smile back, he just turned to Vaati with a look of disbelief.

"Master Ezlo, are you okay?" Vaati asked. No answer. "…Master?"

Ezlo said nothing, he just shook his head.

"What's wrong? Can you breathe?"

"Vaati…" Ezlo began, voice dropped.

"Yes, Master?"

"…How could you…?"

"How could I "what", Master?" Vaati asked innocently.

Ezlo hesitated.

"Master, can I at least have Toja back, please?" he was tempted to get his doll back.

"No!" Ezlo said defensively, raising his voice.

"…Why not? It's mine."

"You can't have it back, Vaati!"

"But it's not yours, it's mine!" Vaati protested, standing up.

"I know what you did!"

"I didn't do anything!"

"You killed them all!!!" Ezlo shouted. Vaati froze and sat down. Now, he was feeling nervous. This completely threw Vaati off and he had no idea how to reply.

"…Give it back!" Vaati lowered his eyebrows as he stood up once more and approached Ezlo.

"No, you're dangerous when you have this!"

"Give it to me!" Vaati reached for the doll and Ezlo's only defense was to give him a hard slap across the face. Falling backwards, Vaati caught himself then lunged forward and grasped Ezlo's neck, attempting to choke him…to death? Perhaps a little too far for his own master, but right now, he just wanted to drive Ezlo's attention away from his doll.

Reaching desperately for Toja, Vaati was just inches away from getting him. Though, unfortunately for Vaati, reaching for Toja also meant letting go of Ezlo.

Pushing his apprentice away for a second gave the sage time to run a safe enough distance. Vaati watched him hold up his bird-headed staff and shout "Äapa so!". And then, blackness.

************************************************************************

Vaati woke up laying on the bed he slept on (and Cricket used to sleep on).

_A dream? Was it all just some crazy dream I had? _he thought. He got up despite the slight headache and looked around the room.

It wasn't a dream. There was his suitcase, laying almost limp on the floor, open for the world to see, and some of his belongings scattered out and around it. And of course, Toja and the book pages were gone. Thankfully, though, Mitten hadn't taken his beloved family photo.

The boy was still confused. The last thing he'd remembered was Ezlo exclaiming "Stop now!" in ancient Minish. Lots of people tend to slip back into their native language during an emergency or sort, but Ezlo's native language was modern Minish which Vaati came to the realization that it was probably a spell to stun him and make him faint.

Vaati made his way over to the door and attempted to open it. Locked.

_Damn him! Not only does he still have Toja, but now I'm stuck here! What makes him think he has the right to treat me like a prisoner, huh?! _Vaati sighed in distress, leaning against the door. _If only I had Toja right now, I could use the Physical Chant to make Ezlo open this door…hmm, what to do now… _Vaati closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. "Heh, heh….heheheheheh…Hahahahaha!! Ah hah hah hah hah ha!!!" Pulling out the red haired voodoo doll from its hiding place under the bed, Vaati laughed maniacally. "Well played, Master. Except for one thing: you forgot I still have Krouku!"

************************************************************************

Ezlo and Mitten stood in a secluded area where they knew no one could eavesdrop, deciding on what they should do about Vaati and the doll.

"Should we tell Count Päkaa to warn everyone at Pekaloh?" asked Mitten.

"No, we don't want everyone to be in a state of panic. I have a different idea. I'll perform the Disowning Spell on the doll to make Toja not possessed anymore."

"But…doesn't that cost half of the owner's life to do that?"

"Sadly, yes…" Ezlo sighed. "But despite sacrificing half of my pupil's life to spare the lives of others and to save his soul, we have no other choice. It's the last resort, but unfortunately, it's also our only. Telling the president won't help anything. Well, just keep our little secret." The Minish master sighed then stared off for a moment into nowhere.

"…Ezlo?"

"…"

"Ezlo? What?"

"I…must go somewhere now…" he said, dazed.

"Where? Why?"

No answer. He just walked off.

************************************************************************

Voodoo Instruction Manual Part VII.

There is a spell similar to the Physical Chant called "The Six Senses Chant" which allowed to one to control all six senses of the person being possessed. (For example: the Physical Chant only allows you to control what the person does and the recipient won't understand why they are doing what they're doing. The Six Senses Chant allows you to also control their mind and even what they see, feel, smell, taste, and hear. So subconsciously, the recipient won't see anything unusual about their behaviour but they won't remember it afterwards. **In short, just think of it almost as sleep-walking.) **However, this will only stay in effect for one hour.

************************************************************************

With the turn of the key, Ezlo unlocked the door to where Vaati was. The boy was holding Krouku in his hands and smiled grimly as he look up at Ezlo.

"Hey, Master! So, you've finally come to your _senses_ and let me out, eh?"

"Yes…"

Vaati took Toja back from Ezlo. He was still the owner, but Toja was near useless now, unless Vaati possess the doll again. And that is exactly what he did. The rule was only one voodoo doll per owner, so giving up Krouku wasn't hard for him since he hadn't become very attached.

"Now…to kill that thieving snitch!" he growled.

************************************************************************


	21. A Mere Puppet

**Chapter 21 - A Mere Puppet**

"Come with me, Master." Vaati ordered as Ezlo obeyed as the two, out of sight from Mitten peered into her direction.

Vaati continued, "Do you see that woman over there, Master? Do you know who she is?"

"Who…she is…?" Ezlo repeated, puzzled.

"She's a horrible person! She's a thief, a snitch, and she's out to get me!" Vaati informed Ezlo almost as if he were a blank book that Vaati could fill in to his desire.

"She's a thief, a snitch, and she's out to get you…"

"You were asking earlier why I gave you that sewing needle. Do you want to know why now?" Vaati asked even though he knew Ezlo had no ability to make decisions for himself and no sense of right or wrong. "You will kill her with the needle now."

"I will kill her…with the needle now…"

************************************************************************

After being told by Vaati that Mitten "slipped and fell on the needle" Ezlo didn't make any argument (because he couldn't) in telling the same thing to Count Päkaa.

"She slipped…and fell on the needle, Master Ezlo?" asked Count Päkaa, Pekaloh's new president.

"She…" Ezlo was about to repeat, but knowing how strange it might sound, Vaati covered his mouth and answered for him.

"That's correct, Count Päkaa." the boy sobbed, using crocodile tears. "My master and I had called her over and Ezlo was holding the needle. Isn't that right, Master Ezlo? You were holding the needle?"

"I was holding the needle."

"And she came running over. S-she slipped in a tiny little puddle of water a-a-and…" Vaati continued fake-crying.

"That's horrible!" Count Päkaa said, then turned to Ezlo. "Master Ezlo, you're surprisingly calm." A rush of adrenaline pumped through Vaati's veins. His whole scheme down the drain! He had to think of something fast.

"Oh…"Vaati began, still crying. "He's still in shock from what happened. Since he was the one who was holding the needle, it probably took a bigger toll on him."

"I see." Count Päkaa believed Vaati's fib. "Well, I'll take care of Madame Osono, you two take it easy for now. You must be under a lot of stress."

"Y-yes. Master Ezlo and I are under a lot of stress."

"A lot of stress." Ezlo repeated like a parrot.

"Thank you very much for your sympathy, Count Päkaa." Vaati bowed and pulled Ezlo by the arm out the room.

************************************************************************

Vaati, no longer wanting to even breathe the air of the Minish World, packed up his and Ezlo's things and left Pekaloh.

The two were not very far from the Minish portal until something happened.

"Alright, Master. We're getting close to the Minish portal. I want you to open up it up for up, okay?" he spoke as if speaking to a child.

"Why?" asked Ezlo.

"We're going home."

"No we're not!"

Vaati stopped and turned around. _Whatever happened to not having the ability to make decisions?_

"…Yes, we are, Master. Pekaloh's a bad place. I don't want to risk getting caught for making you kill Madame Osono."

"…WHAT?!"

_Shit! The Six Senses Chant must have worn out!_

"Vaati…how could it be?! I had you locked up!!"

"And I possessed you with a second doll!"

"Give it over, Vaati! NOW!!!" Ezlo roared, trying to frighten Vaati when he was, himself, scared out of his wits.

"Why don't you just make me?" the boy smirked holding up Ezlo staff; the one and only defense Ezlo had.

Ezlo gulped and took a step away. "So…what now? You know I found out your secret so you're going to kill me?! Eliminate everyone who knows?!"

"…All options are on the table." Vaati said, pulling Toja out of his pocket, holding the sharpened beak of the staff to the doll's neck.

The master clasped his throat. He could feel that cold, sharp beak touching his neck. He shut his eyes, waiting for the worst….Nothing…No sharp, searing pain. No blackness of death. Nothing.

He opened his eyes to see Vaati kneeling before him, crying. "Master…I don't like being who I am. I don't want to kill anyone anymore. I just want everyone to forget what happened!"

"…I believe that's possible…"

************************************************************************

Voodoo Instruction Manual Part VIII.

It's possible to make people forget things using the voodoo doll. It's even possible for the owner to erase their own memory. All you have to do is squeeze the doll's head as hard as possible. Depending on how long one does it for, it will determine how far back they can still remember. They can even forget everything that's happened since they were a baby. Whether this individual recovers their memory fully, slightly, or not at all depends on whether there is anything to trigger it.

************************************************************************


	22. Amnesia

**Chapter 22 - Amnesia**

"I don't know if this will hurt or not, but after I erase your memory, I'll have you erase mine, okay?" Vaati readied himself. Toja's head resting in his palm. The Minish apprentice squeezed the doll's head like a sponge until it was a mere scrunched up ball of fabric, yarn, and fluff.

"AARRRGH!!!" Ezlo clamped his skull. The pain only lasted for about thirty seconds or so, but it felt like it was longer to both of them.

Vaati found it hard to hear someone's pain even after he had heard it so many times before. But luckily, it would all be over for him soon.

"How are you feeling, Master Ezlo? Are there after-pains?"

"Master? Who're you calling "Master"? I'm not your master!" Ezlo said, with an immature and slightly disrespectful tone.

Vaati paused for a second. "…Ezlo?"

"Yeah, what?"

"…Can you tell me how old you are?"

"Huh? I'm six."

Vaati gasped, tripping as he took a step backwards. "I've erased everything after he was six!!!"

************************************************************************

"Who are you, anyway? Why's it so cold?!"

"I'm Vaati Picoru, I'm thirteen and I'm your apprentice. It's cold because you're in the Minish World, and you're not six, you're much older than me."

"How old?"

"I don't really know, exactly. I think you're over 100..."

"WOW!" Ezlo laughed. "But I know you're not telling the truth. I don't look…" he looked down at his long white mane, disillusioned. "Wha…? Who are you, really?! Where's my Mommy and Daddy? Where's my baby brother, Lazlo?" Ezlo sat down stubbornly. "I don't like this place! I don't like you! Take me back home!"

"Master Ezlo…!" Vaati said, scolding.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!!! I wanna go home!"

Vaati sat down on a rock. _What now?_

************************************************************************

Vaati decided he and Ezlo would go back to Pekaloh, just to give them a place to stay out of the cold until he could recover his master's memory. After all, Vaati doubted Ezlo would have remembered how to open the portal back to the human world, so there was not much else they could do. They had hit a brick wall.

Not wanting to get Count Päkaa suspicious of Ezlo's unusual behaviour, he told Ezlo that he wasn't allowed to leave the dorm room _at all_.He said that everything they could possibly need was right there in the dorm and there would be no reason to leave. Of course, six-year old boys, or people who think they're six tend to get into a lot of mischief…

***********************************************************************

Vaati woke up the next morning, tired from keeping Ezlo in the lecture hall all day, holding up random objects and recalling random memories that he thought would might jog his memory. The boy was surprised to find no sign of his master that morning.

"Ezlo! Ezlo!" he called, running down the hallways of Pekaloh. "Ezlo, you get over here right now!" he stopped to catch his breath. "…Please? I'll give you a sugar cube! Two sugar cubes, in fact!" No reply. "How 'bout I give you the whole sugar cube factory?!"

Right then, he peered over to Ezlo who was standing and staring wondrously at a picture on the wall. Nipping the tip of one his claws.

"Ezlo! Get!!!" Vaati growled.

Ezlo got up and walked over to Vaati, dragging his feet in disappointment.

"Don't chew your claws like that!" he slapped his hand away from his mouth. Ezlo frowned. "I hate you!"

Now, Vaati was determined to recover his memory. He was starting to get a taste of his own medicine having to take care this bratty kid.

************************************************************************

Vaati and Ezlo met in the lecture hall that night. This time, Vaati was the teacher and Ezlo was the student. Vaati first held up Toja, hoping this wouldn't trigger the memory of him killing everyone.

"Does this look familiar, Ezlo?"

"Why do you carry around a doll?"

"I guess not." Vaati put Toja safely away then pointed to the magenta mitten that Mitten used to sleep in. "Does that remind you of anyone named Osono Picolotto? She was your apprentice before I was."

"Madame Oso-whaaa??"

Vaati brought out the red magic cap Ezlo had been working on and tossed it up in the air, catching it, over and over. "Doesn't _anything_ remind you of _anything_?!" he said, impatiently.

Ezlo stared at what Vaati was holding. "That hat…" he began. "I started making that hat when…" Suddenly, memories flooded through his head: growing up, teenage years, entering his apprenticeship, finishing the apprenticeship, becoming a master and taking on Mitten, finishing Mitten's apprenticeship, working freelance on different projects, meeting Vaati and taking him on as his new apprentice, beginning making the hat.

"Vaati!" Ezlo exclaimed, jubilantly. "You're Vaati Picoru, my apprentice!"

"And what else do you know about me?"

"Well, I can't really recall much except I found you unconscious after a great flood hit your village, you're orphaned, you're now my apprentice, and you have a little friend named Mollie Harris."

Vaati's smile slowly faded. He knew this information was still out-dated and he was in no mood to try and refresh Ezlo's memory even further.

"We're in the Minish World right now. Do you know how to open the portal between this world and the humans?"

"Yes, of course! M'boy, that's elementary!" Ezlo said. Vaati was glad. "But, goodness! We're in the Minish World right now? How about we drop in on my old friend, Osono Picolotto before we go?"

"She's-uh, on vacation far away." Vaati pulled on Ezlo's arm. Forcing him to follow him back to the portal sight.

************************************************************************


	23. Something Else to Be Grateful For

_**Chapter 23 - Something Else to Be Grateful For**_

_The two Minish stood bundled up in their garb before a giant tree in the snow-wasteland of the Minish World. _

"_Say it, Ezlo! Say it!" Vaati jumped up and down, trying to keep the blood flowing to warm himself up. _

"_Shopoi no tipo Picori, kagachi shi, halo pakatu ryu leika, tipo leika zo wumäa zo tipo Kutsu Nada." Ezlo chanted and that same blinding white light appeared before them and the elder master and his little apprentice walked into it._

_************************************************************************_

_Vaati had missed it all: the smell of that fresh, forest air, the sound of birds chirping, the sight of emerald vegetation everywhere. But most of all, he had missed the feel of the nice, warm sunlight shining on his face. Home._

"_Come along, Vaati. Let's go back home to Hyrule Town."_

_************************************************************************_

_From the Diary of Vaati Picoru…_

_I was looking through my room and I came across this dusty old diary of mine. It must have been ages since I last wrote in it. Suffice it to say, things have been a little better for me. _

_Master Ezlo took me to study abroad in the Minish World. I hated it. Everything those stupid dolls caused was nothing but havoc. _

_I gave both of them up. Krouku and Toja. They're just lifeless dolls now. Good news and bad news, though. Good news is, since Krouku wasn't originally mine, the Book of Voodoo states that giving up a "borrowed doll" requires no penalty. Bad news being that Toja was originally mine, and now half of my life is gone forever._

_Ever since I left the Minish World, I decided that life maybe be worth living. So, my master can rest at ease knowing he won't wake up one morning and find me lying dead on the floor of my room. Why the change of mind? Well…I was watching Ezlo making that magic cap I had been longing for. That hat, along with the Light Force contains more power than Krouku and Toja put together. I've been planning this for so long and it's only two more years until my scheme goes into action. _

_I just know Ezlo is going to try and stop me. He knows, as well, how powerful I can be if I get his hat. I'm going to have to make sure I stop him first of I want things to go as planned. After all, I still can't forgive this world that has been so cruel to me. Robbing me of everything I had ever loved. They haven't extinguished the fire of anger in me. They still have to pay._

_Fin_


End file.
